


Divided Loyalty

by RogueGona



Series: A Mandalorian Story [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, Family Drama, Friends to Lovers, Great Galactic War (Star Wars), Imperial Inquisitors (Star Wars), Imperial Officers (Star Wars), Jedi Training (Star Wars), Lesbian Character, Lightsaber Battles (Star Wars), Lightsaber Training (Star Wars), Lightsabers (Star Wars), Lothal Temple (Star Wars), Major Original Character(s), Mandalorian, Mandalorian Clans (Star Wars), Mandalorian Culture, Multi, Original Character(s), Other, POV Original Female Character, Planet Lothal (Star Wars), Planet Mandalore (Star Wars), Planet Yavin 4 (Star Wars), Post-Battle of Yavin (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: Rebels, Pre-Battle of Yavin (Star Wars), Rebel Alliance (Star Wars), Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Star Wars Galactic Empire Era, Star Wars: Original Trilogy Era, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:42:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 95,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24705529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueGona/pseuds/RogueGona
Summary: The galaxy is on the verge of war, but for loyalty officers such as Jaina Kavos, it's business as usual. As one of the youngest officers to ever come out of the prestigious Academy on Coruscant, Jaina's career has been on a meteoric rise for the last few years. But all that is about to change, after a fateful meeting sets her on a path she never imagined she'd take. In order to survive, she'll need to put her trust in people she once considered enemies, and confront a past she's tried very hard to put behind her.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano/Original Character(s), Jaina Kavos & Emry Manewall, Original Mandalorian Characters/Original Female Character(s), Sabine Wren/Original Female Character(s)
Series: A Mandalorian Story [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168640
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Fateful Timing

Jaina Kavos was tired. The interrogation was well into its second hour, and she needed a break. Of course, the Imperial officer in front of her would never have known that as she drove her boot into his ribs again.

"Tell me what I want to know." Her voice was cool and calm, belying her fatigue.

"Go to hell," came the reply, and Jaina kicked him again. He grunted but didn't cry out, even though she knew he was in a considerable amount of pain. He was stronger than most of the others, she had to give him that. She knelt in front of him and grabbed his face in her hand, forcing him to look at her.

"You're going to tell me, whether you like it not," she said coolly. "The only choice you have is how painful this is going to get before that happens."

"Go to hell," he growled again and then spat in her face. White-hot anger flared inside her, but she showed no reaction, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. She calmly stood back up, staring at him for a second before driving her boot into his face as hard as she could. His head snapped back, and he instantly grew still. Wiping her face on her sleeve, she straightened her tunic and walked out of the room.

"Get him up and secured to the chair," she told the two stormtroopers standing guard. "I'll be back shortly."

"Yes, ma'am," the troopers replied in unison. They immediately turned and entered the room to carry out her request.

Lieutenant Horn fell into step beside Jaina as she headed towards her quarters, handing her a datapad loaded with the notes she had taken so far. "How much more do you think he can take ma'am?"

Jaina frowned. Horn was the junior officer assigned to assist her while she was here on Garel. She didn't much care for an assistant; operating alone was normal in her line of work. Still, it had its benefits. For one, she didn't have to take her own notes, which would make closing this investigation and filing the report that much easier. She just needed to make sure Horn didn't get too curious about the methods she used to coerce the eventual confession.

"Ma'am?" Horn's voice broke into her train of thought.

"We will know what he knows by the end of the day," she said flatly. She suppressed a sigh as she saw the garrison commander approaching them, a vaguely familiar armor-clad woman with him.

"Loyalty Officer Kavos," he said cordially as she stopped in front of him. "We were just coming to check on your progress with Commander Volk."

She inclined her head slightly to him. "He has revealed nothing yet, but I'm confident that will change by the end of the day. Hopefully, the small reprieve he's currently receiving will help convince him that talking would be in his best interest."

"Very good," he replied. "You'll keep me informed of your progress and any information you receive from him then?"

"Yes, sir, of course. You will be notified once I have his confession." Jaina glanced at the woman, who was still standing there silently. She was regarding Jaina thoughtfully, and Jaina had to fight the urge to shudder. Something about her made her nervous.

"Excellent. I look forward to it," he said. Jaina inclined her head again and waited for the commander and the woman to continue walking before she continued on.

"An Inquisitor?" Horn muttered under her breath after they were out of earshot. "That's odd. I wonder what she's doing here."

So that's why the woman had looked familiar. The last time Jaina had seen an Inquisitor was back in her Academy days, having accidentally run into one at the wrong time and in the wrong place. A small chill ran up her back as the memory flashed in her mind. Something told her to turn around, and she chanced a glance behind her, seeing with some unease that the Inquisitor was watching her as she walked away.

Another chill hit her and this time she did shudder. After that first encounter at the academy, she'd looked into who and what the Inquisitorius was. "Jedi Hunters" was what she'd found. Supposedly, they reported directly to Lord Vader himself, though she couldn't find anything that supported that rumor. She scoffed to herself. The Jedi had long since died out, everyone knew that. If they had even existed at all.

No, the Inquisitors were more likely just another way in which the Emperor ensured complete loyalty and obedience amongst those who worked for him. Much like herself and all the other loyalty officers of the Imperial Security Bureau.

They arrived at her quarters and Jaina handed the datapad back to Horn. "I'll be just a minute." Horn nodded her acknowledgment and Jaina entered her room. The first thing she noticed was the message light on her comm blinking, and she sighed heavily. She didn't even need to listen to it to know what it was.

She crossed the room and splashed water on her face, washing off the remains of the saliva and blood from Commander Volk. Anger flared inside her once again when she noticed he'd left specks of blood on her tunic. She quickly changed into a new one, checking herself in the mirror after she was done. Her blue eyes looked as tired as she felt. Jaina smoothed back the strands of blonde hair that had fallen out of her tightly wound bun, then turned to play the message.

"Loyalty Officer Kavos." Colonel Reedland's voice filled the room. "I need you to finish your investigation on Garel as quickly as possible. I have another assignment for you, an urgent one, needing to be resolved immediately. Please contact me once you are finished there, and I will send you the location, along with the information packet once you are en route."

The message ended and Jaina sighed again. All the assignments were urgent these days. But, as one of the top loyalty officers the ISB had to offer, her services were currently in high demand as the growing rebel movement gained steam. Lately, it had seemed that every interrogation she'd done had ended with another rebel spy being uncovered. And as these successful interrogations grew in number, so did the ISB High Command's demand of her.

She had hoped to put off the special part of her interrogations until later, but because High Command needed her to wrap things up, it had to be done now. This wasn't the way she preferred to do things. Rushing meant she was more prone to mistakes, mistakes that could easily cost her her job, and possibly her life. But High Command needed results and Jaina was determined to be the one to get them.

She quickly strode from her room, her mind focused on the upcoming task. The two stormtroopers were still standing guard outside the door once they arrived back at the interrogation room. Jaina could feel the anxiety coming from inside and she smiled to herself. Giving him a little time to think seemed to have softened him up.

"Is he awake?" she asked the two troopers.

"Yes, ma'am," one of them replied. "We secured him to the chair, just as you ordered. He's ready for you."

"Good." She turned to Lieutenant Horn. "Wait out here." A confused look passed across Horn's face, but she didn't argue, and a thought crossed Jaina's mind. "While I'm in there, I need you to coordinate with the stormtrooper commander to get at least two search teams ready. Traitors like him will usually have non-Imperial locations they use, and I'd like to be able to search those immediately, once we know where they're located."

Jaina could sense Horn's confusion was now gone, and she nodded. "Yes, ma'am, right away." Jaina watched her head off in the opposite direction, relieved she'd taken care of that potential problem. She turned back to the door and stepped inside.

She stopped just inside the room to assess her subject. Commander Volk had been the garrison's stormtrooper commander until he was arrested yesterday, that is. He liked to use his position to intimidate everyone who came in contact with him, but to Jaina, he was just another traitor who would be begging for her mercy in the next few minutes.

"Let's try this again," she said, "and this time, I expect a little more cooperation from you."

"I have nothing to say to you," he sneered. Jaina smirked slightly at the hostile answer, then folded her arms across her chest.

“Your former position as the commander of the stormtrooper company stationed here gave you access to all kinds of information, correct?" She watched his body language as she spoke, her trained eye waiting to catch any discomfort or indication of a lie.

He didn't answer. "I checked," Jaina continued. "You had access to all the information you wanted about troop movements and deployments across this sector." She raised an eyebrow at him. "That kind of information could be very valuable in the hands of, oh let's say, a rebel cell. And very damaging to the Empire."

Again, Volk said nothing, and Jaina clicked her tongue. "You've betrayed the Empire, Commander. You know it. I know it. So why don't you save yourself the trouble and just tell me the truth?"

Volk regarded her with a malicious look but Jaina could feel the anxiety roiling inside him. "Like I said before. Go. To. Hell."

"Okay then," Jaina replied with a shrug. She walked over to the panel on the wall that controlled the cameras and punched a button, turning them off, but leaving the audio on. She felt his anxiety level surge as he watched her.

"What're you doing?" Volk said, his voice an octave higher as his anxiousness bled into it.

"I already told you," Jaina said coldly. "You're going to give me the information I want, whether you like it or not."

She sat down opposite him, watching as he started to squirm against his restraints. The bravado he'd had just moments ago was gone, anxiety and fear now ruling his emotions. Jaina could feel all of it. For as long as she could remember, she'd been able to feel the emotions of others. She had no idea how, or where it came from, but she had learned to use it to her advantage, both in the academy and in her job.

The fear, anger, anxiety; every emotion that ran through a subject during an interrogation, she felt. And it fueled her, particularly the anger and fear. Those emotions were always present, and they helped give her the focus she needed to perform the most delicate part of every interrogation. The part no one could know about. The part she knew would be deemed _unnatural_ by Imperial standards if anyone found out.

Jaina gave Volk a small smile, then bowed her head and closed her eyes. She reached out and touched his mind, seeing the thoughts swirling inside. Just as it was with the emotions, for as long as Jaina could remember, this had been something she'd been able to do. Though she had absolutely no idea how or why. As a young child, it had been completely involuntary. Luckily for her and everyone else around her, she'd been too young to understand what she was seeing.

The strength of it had waned as she'd gotten older, eventually fading to the point where it wasn't involuntary anymore. She'd rediscovered it by accident at the academy and taught herself how to use it to her advantage. So far, High Command had never questioned why her success rate was so high, and she knew as long as she could keep giving them the results they wanted, they probably never would.

Jaina forced her way inside, feeling Volk's mind recoil at her intrusion. He let out an audible gasp as the first wave of pain hit him. She had an idea of what she was looking for, and quickly pushed aside anything that wasn't of any use as she went deeper into his thoughts.

Volk grunted as the pain in his head worsened. "What is this?" His voice was another shade higher and tinted with the rising panic she could feel. Jaina ignored him and continue to push deeper into his mind, searching for anything that would give him away. His breathing quickened as the pain increased.

"Tell me about the warehouse, Commander," she said, finally finding something useful.

"I don't know what you're—" his automatic response was suddenly cut off as he cried out in response to another wave of pain.

"You do, and you're going to tell me right now," Jaina replied calmly. She increased the pressure again and was rewarded with another pained cry. Volk's thoughts were becoming clearer now, meshing together into one memory. She already had the information she needed, but she needed him to say it, out loud, for the audio recorders to hear. She increased the pressure once more, knowing he was about to break.

"Okay, okay!" Volk cried. "I'll tell you! Just make it stop!" Jaina backed off slightly, to see if he was telling the truth.

"The warehouse, Commander. Where is it?" She gave him a few seconds to respond, and when he didn't, she ratcheted up the pressure to an even higher level.

Volk let out a guttural yell, but Jaina didn't relent. "The warehouse is in the central district!" She smiled to herself and eased back on the pressure ever so slightly.

"Where in the central district?" This time, Volk responded right away.

"Near the old Clone Wars storage facility! Two blocks off the main road, by the cantina that's run by the old Mirialan guy." Volk's breathing was coming out in ragged gasps, but Jaina didn't back off, not yet. He needed to tell her everything.

"What were you using the warehouse for?" She kept her voice even, even though the strain on her own mind was starting to make itself known.

"Storage. Communications. I set up a long-range transmitter. I used the transmitter to send reports of troop movements in this sector to a rebel cell on Lothal." Jaina could see he was telling the truth, but there was one more piece of information she needed before she could release him.

"And how long have you been spying for the rebels, Commander?" Volk didn't want to tell her, knowing it would sign his death warrant, so Jaina increased the pressure one last time.

"Ah, okay, okay! I've been sending them reports for a year now!" And there it was. She had everything she needed to wrap this investigation up and move onto the next one.

Jaina backed out of Volk's mind, hearing him gasp again as she released him. He was staring at her, a mixture of shock and fear written on his face. She gave him another half-smile and stood up.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Commander." She turned and headed for the door, fighting the exhaustion that was always brought on whenever that part of her interrogations was finished.

"What will happen to me now?" The defeat was evident in Volk's voice, and only a very small part of her felt sorry for him.

"That is up to my superiors," Jaina replied, without even turning around. "For now, you'll be put in confinement to await their decision."

She exited the room and nodded to the two troopers, who entered behind her to escort Commander Volk to his prison cell. Lieutenant Horn was waiting for her, an eager look on her face.

"Has a search team been dispatched to that warehouse?" she asked Horn, taking the datapad from her.

"Yes, ma'am. I sent them as soon as he gave the location." Jaina nodded slowly as she studied the datapad.

"Good. Send another team to his quarters and have them search that as well. There's probably nothing in there, but I want to know for sure. Have both teams seize any evidence they find and bring it back here immediately. Let me know when they return."

"Yes, ma'am," Horn replied, stiffening to attention before quickly heading off to coordinate with the search teams. Jaina watched her go, shaking her head in amusement. She remembered when she'd been that young and eager to please her superiors. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

She reviewed the interrogation notes Horn had taken on her way back to her quarters. Everything seemed to be in order, and the junior officer had given no indication that she suspected anything out of the ordinary. Turning the cameras off was always a risk, but so was leaving them on, and having Horn start asking questions no one couldn't answer.

Jaina half-expected to run into the garrison commander and the Inquisitor on her way back, but luckily, they were nowhere to be found. Horn's musings as to why the Inquisitor was there echoed in her mind, and she found herself wondering the same thing. They'd seemed to be interested in her interrogation of the commander, but she couldn't come up with a feasible reason as to why. She pushed it out of her mind, needing to focus on getting the report written and sent up as soon as possible. Colonel Reedland was not a patient man, and she wasn't about to make him wait any longer than she needed to.

Settling in at her desk, Jaina immediately got to work. The hours ticked by, and she idly wondered how long it was going to take those search teams to get back with the evidence. She resisted the urge to go find Lieutenant Horn for an update, deciding instead to trust the junior officer to let her know when it was ready. Horn seemed competent enough, even if she was overly eager to prove herself.

The report slowly started coming together as she typed away into the late evening. This was the part Jaina hated most about her job. All the paperwork that inevitably followed every interrogation. It was tedious and boring, and she found herself thanking whoever it was that had invented caf on more than one occasion.

This time was no different than all the others, save for one minor annoyance: The Inquisitor. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate, the image of her wriggled its way to the forefront of her mind, along with the question of why. Why was she here, on Garel? Why was she interested in her investigation?

Jaina knew the answer was most likely connected to Commander Volk and his obvious treason, but something told her that wasn't quite it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the image nor the question to leave her alone. The fact that she had no solid answers only added to her growing unease about the whole thing.

On top of that, the Inquisitor herself made Jaina nervous. There was something about the way she felt that was not right. Always being aware of the emotions around her was an annoying and sometimes useful ability, however, the Inquisitor had felt different than everyone else. Because Jaina hadn't felt anything from her. It was like a dark cloud surrounded her. It unnerved her, and even just thinking about it made her shudder.

She continued to work on the report, determined to finish it as fast as possible so she could leave. Her instincts about certain things had always been pretty good, and Jaina usually listened to them when they started nagging her like they were now. There was a reason that woman had come to Garel, but Jaina wasn't going to stick around long enough to find out why.

Once her report was finished and the investigation closed, she would be gone; moving on to the next assignment, uncovering the next traitor trying to take the Empire down.


	2. Running Blind

_It was late and well past curfew. She hurried back to her barracks, eyes darting every which way as she jogged. The punishment for breaking curfew too many times was severe, and she was already pushing the limit, having been caught more than once before. A rustle in the bushes up ahead caught her attention and she slowed as three cadets stepped out from behind it._

_Frowning, she recognized them to be the ones who constantly harassed her. They moved to block her way, and she balled up her fists, ready in case they decided to swing first this time, rather than attack with just words. As they got closer, she decided tonight would be the night she'd put what she'd been working on for weeks, to the test. And maybe, just maybe, if it worked, they'd leave her alone once and for all._

_When they were finally close enough, she bowed her head and closed her eyes…_

_Suddenly, she wasn't at the Academy anymore, but somewhere else entirely, somewhere she didn't recognize. It could've been her homeworld, or it couldn't have been. Everything was completely out of focus. She frantically looked around, searching for anything or anyone familiar._

_She had the feeling someone was watching her and turned around. A hooded figure was standing there, off in the distance. She cautiously approached them, unsure of who they were and what their intentions were. The stranger had a kind face, one she instantly and inexplicably trusted. The woman curiously gazed at her, studying her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her question was instantly silenced as the stranger's eyes narrowed._

_A foreboding feeling hit her from behind, along with a sudden chill that made her shiver. She turned around and gasped. The Inquisitor was standing mere meters from her, a malevolent look on her face. The weapon in her hand ignited, and as the red blade sprang forth, the stranger behind her uttered only one word: "Run."_

_She didn't hesitate, didn't even question the command, and took off at a sprint. Fear drove her forward and she urged her legs to go faster, as the darkness behind her closed in. She skidded to a halt as the Inquisitor suddenly appeared in front of her. She whipped around and took off in the opposite direction, but an unseen hand caught her and began dragging her back. She writhed and fought, but she wasn't strong enough to break free as it dragged her back, towards the waiting red blade…_

Jaina bolted awake, almost falling backward out of her chair. Gasping for air, she fought the urge to vomit as a strong wave of nausea hit her. She stood up, eyes wild, and looked around the room, before finally realizing she was still in her quarters on Garel. It had only been a dream. She must have drifted off while working on the report.

Jaina took a seat again, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down. It had only been a dream. So why had it felt so real? And who was that stranger that had told her to run? She replayed what she'd seen over in her mind and found no answers. The only thing she was sure of, was that her instincts before about the Inquisitor had been right. Something wasn't right about her, and Jaina knew she needed to steer clear of her for the rest of the time she was here.

The memory of what had happened with the three cadets came forward, and Jaina allowed herself a small smile. That had indeed been the night they'd left her alone, after she'd successfully invaded the leader of their little group's thoughts. The information she'd fished out had ensured that they'd left her alone the remainder of the time she was there and had kept them scared enough to not report her.

Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and Jaina frowned, seeing the message light on her comm blinking again. A glance at the chrono on the wall told her she'd been asleep far longer than she should've been, and she swore as she listened to the message from Lieutenant Horn.

She hurriedly strapped on her sidearm—protocol dictated she wasn't allowed to wear it during her interrogations but was required to have it on her any other time—grabbed the datapad and left to go searching for Horn. Jaina found her in a room off of one of the hangar bays, sorting through the items the troopers had brought in the night before.

"Good morning, ma'am," Horn said, stiffening to attention as Jaina entered.

"Carry on, Lieutenant," Jaina replied with a wave of her hand, and Horn immediately went back to work. Jaina looked around the room and shook her head. It appeared as though the troopers had brought the entire warehouse back with them.

She grimaced, realizing this was going to take them both significantly longer than she would've liked to inventory it all. This is why she preferred to do the searches herself—she knew what she was looking for. But the shortened timeline was out of Jaina's control, and she sighed as she started sifting through the items.

"How long have you been in here?" she asked Horn.

"Not long, ma'am," Horn replied. "I wasn't notified that they'd returned until very early this morning. Apparently, the search took them a lot longer than they'd expected." Jaina nodded and suppressed an urge to roll her eyes. So much for Imperial efficiency.

"I did manage to find the transmitter he talked about," Horn continued. Jaina looked up at her and saw she was pointing to a transmitter sitting on a worktable in the rear of the room. "I set it over there for you."

"Excellent," she replied. "Let me know if you find anything else that might be useful."

"Yes, ma'am," Horn said. She hesitated like she had more to say, and Jaina raised an eyebrow at her.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Jaina could feel that the junior officer was irritated about something, and Horn averted her eyes as she spoke.

"It's just…do you think he really did what he said he did? Help the rebels by sending those reports to them?"

Jaina nodded. "I know he did. You heard his confession. He was telling the truth." Horn was quiet for a moment, but when she looked back up at her, Jaina could see the anger in her eyes.

"Then I hope he burns in hell." Jaina stared at her for a moment, then mentally chided herself as she realized where all Horn's anger was coming from. Of course. The incident had only occurred a couple of weeks ago. Horn must've known someone either stationed on Lothal or aboard one of the Seventh Fleet's destroyers.

It had been the first major blow the rebels had struck against the Empire. Uncovering Commander Volk as a rebel spy had been no coincidence. The ISB had long suspected someone in the sector was feeding the rebels information, and Volk had gotten sloppy. High Command had sent Jaina to essentially tie up loose ends, ensuring the leak was dealt with once and for all.

"He will," Jaina assured her. Horn gave her a curt nod and went back to work. Jaina watched her for a moment, then walked over to the transmitter. She keyed it on, and within seconds had the frequency list pulled up. It appeared as though Volk had used numerous different ones, so she sat down and pulled her datapad out. Her technical knowledge wasn't vast enough to know what each one meant, but she could at least record them and pass the information along to the Investigations Division, so they could look into them.

A silence fell over the room as they both worked, only broken occasionally by Horn whenever a question about an item she'd found would come up. Jaina was halfway through the frequency list when she felt it. The same unnerving feeling she'd felt the day prior. Although the room was warm, Jaina shivered as a chill crawled from the base of her spine all the way up to her neck, and she slowly turned around.

The Inquisitor was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a curious look on her face as she studied at Jaina. Jaina's eyes flickered to the weapon on the Inquisitor's hip, the image from her dream fresh in her mind. So much for trying to stay away from her while she was here. Her glance at the weapon, unfortunately, did not go unnoticed. The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow at her, and Jaina had to fight a very strong urge to pull her blaster out as the Inquisitor moved her hand to rest on the weapon.

They stared at each other for a moment before the Inquisitor finally spoke. "I heard your interrogation went well yesterday. Another successful confession. Congratulations."

Jaina inclined her head slightly. "It did. Thank you." She wasn't entirely sure what the protocol was when speaking to anyone in the Inquisitorius, so she decided to remain seated and keep as much distance as she could between the two of them.

"I'd be interested to hear how you do it," the Inquisitor said. Jaina gave her a confused look, and she explained: "How you get your confessions. From what I've heard, you're one of the best there is. I'm just curious as to what your secret to all that success is."

Jaina's heart skipped a beat, then began to pound rapidly. Her mind raced as she tried to think of a good answer. She noticed Horn was watching the whole exchange, glancing between the two of them with a nervous look on her face. Trying to hide the fear that was coursing through her, Jaina nonchalantly shrugged.

"There's no secret. I received top-notch training at the Academy on Coruscant. If there's any secret to my success, it's in that training." She tried to keep her voice as even and as casual as she could.

The Inquisitor said nothing, but Jaina could've sworn she saw a ghost of a smile on her lips. She looked around the room at the piles of junk that Horn was slowly going through.

"Well, it looks as though you two will be busy with this for a while. I will leave you to it." Jaina inclined her head slightly again, and the Inquisitor turned to go.

"Oh, and Loyalty Officer Kavos?" she said over her shoulder. "I do hope we can speak more later. Once you've finished your investigation, of course."

"Of course," Jaina calmly replied. She watched the Inquisitor walk away, and the voice of the stranger from her dream echoed in her mind: _Run_. Jaina shuddered and turned back to the transmitter, wanting to finish as quickly as possible. She worked as fast as she could, finishing up with the frequencies and then giving Horn a hand sorting through junk piles. Horn felt as nervous as she did, and moved with just as much urgency, neither of them saying another word unless it was absolutely necessary.

When they were finished, Horn helped Jaina carry the evidence they'd found back to her quarters. Once it was all inside, Jaina thanked her for her help and dismissed her. She locked the door behind her and quickly got to work. In addition to the transmitter, they'd been able to locate a datapad that Volk had stolen from the garrison. In it, they'd found reports and communications he'd saved that detailed stormtrooper deployments, naval movements, and task force operations in all of the Lothal sector.

Jaina quickly added all that information to her report, along with a summary of what she'd found in the transmitter. The rest of the items from the warehouse had turned out to be exactly what they'd looked like: junk. The only other item of importance was a backpack that had been found in his quarters. Inside was a few changes of civilian clothes, a whole mess of credits he'd apparently saved, and a schedule of the regular transports to and from Garel.

It wasn't hard for her to deduce that Volk was planning on defecting, and by the looks of it, very soon. Luckily, the ISB had moved in time and prevented that from happening. She added the backpack and the items inside to the report, along with the conclusion she'd come to about why he'd had them. All that was left to do now was give the report a final once-over, then send it up.

Jaina had just started her review when her comm chimed. She ignored it; whoever it was could leave a message. It chimed again, and again she ignored it. The stranger's command from her dream had been playing on a loop in her mind ever since the Inquisitor's visit earlier, and now it seemed as though the fervor of it had increased. The comm chimed one more time and Jaina cursed. Pushing her report to the side, she punched the button.

"Yes?" she said icily, not even bothering to hide her annoyance.

"Loyalty Officer Kavos, did I catch you at a bad time?" The garrison commander didn't sound too pleased, and Jaina winced.

"No sir, not at all," she replied, putting some deference into her voice. "I was just trying to finish up my report."

"I see. And how close are you to being finished?" Jaina's eyes narrowed. There was an eagerness in his voice she didn't like.

"Very close, sir. I should be done shortly." She had a bad feeling about where this was going, and her instincts were proven right as soon as he spoke.

"Very good. The Inquisitor told me she stopped by to see you earlier, and you agreed to meet with her as soon as you were done." _Run_. The word rang louder in Jaina's mind and she swallowed hard.

"Yes, sir, I did. And I will, as soon as I can send—"

"The report," he said, cutting her off, "yes, yes I know. We wouldn't want to keep High Command waiting, would we? Finish with it as quickly as you can and bring a copy of it over to my office when you stop by, if you don't mind. I would like to read it."

"Yes, sir," Jaina replied, feeling panic start to rise in her chest. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Excellent," he said. "We'll be waiting." The conversation ended and Jaina switched the comm off.

 _RUN_. The stranger's voice was so loud in Jaina's mind that she spun around, thinking they were in the room with her. No one was there, but the command was as unmistakable as it had been in her dream. Jaina sat back down and tried to relax. She had no idea why she was panicking so badly, but every instinct she had—not to mention the stranger's voice—was screaming at her to leave, right now. She ran through her options in her head and frowned. Not one of them was a good one.

She could stay, finish the report, then go see the commander and the Inquisitor. Jaina had no good reason to suspect that there was anything more to the Inquisitor's request than simple curiosity, but she wasn't that naïve. The Inquisitor's sudden appearance and interest in her interrogation methods weren't a coincidence. No, she had been sent here for a specific purpose, and Jaina knew if she walked into that meeting, she'd be walking into a situation she wouldn't be able to talk herself out of.

She could file her report right now, contact Colonel Reedland for her next assignment, then simply leave without saying anything to the commander. That seemed like the best option, but the more Jaina thought about it, the more she realized it wasn't. If the Inquisitor was here to find out how and why Jaina was so successful, it likely meant that someone else, far higher up the food chain than her, had gotten suspicious. And if that was the case, whoever it was would simply tell the Inquisitor where she had gone, and Jaina would be in the same position she was in now.

Jaina put her head in her hands, knowing what her last option was. And it was unthinkable.

She could do as the stranger had commanded and run. Leave everything and go, getting as far away from Garel as possible. But where would she go? Certainly not back to her homeworld. If she disappeared now, that would be the first place the Empire would look. Jaina growled in frustration. Deserting her job, the Empire, it was unfathomable.

The Empire had been her life since she'd entered the Academy at fourteen. Jaina had given everything she'd had to them for the last eight years; she couldn't just abandon that now. But she knew she had no choice. If High Command found out the real reason behind her success, then her career was over anyway. She'd be locked away, or worse. Jaina took a deep breath, and with her mind made up, steeled herself for what came next.

Calmly, Jaina got up and walked over to her desk. She shut her brain off, knowing if she stopped to think about what she was doing, she'd lose her nerve and never go through with it. Keying the datapad on, she quickly submitted her report. It was the least she could do, to make sure that traitor never saw the light of day again. Satisfied, Jaina pulled the backpack they'd confiscated from Volk onto the desk.

She quickly rummaged through it. The clothes were slightly too big, but they'd do. There were enough credits to get her somewhere where she could lay low for a while and figure out what to do next. She ran her finger down the list of scheduled transports and picked the one leaving the fastest. It would be close, and she'd have to hurry if she was going to make it in time.

Jaina slung the backpack around her shoulders and crossed over to the door, holding her breath as it slid open. She half-expected the Inquisitor to be waiting for her, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the corridor was empty. She briskly made her way through the maze of hallways, ignoring the other troopers and officers she passed. No one paid her any attention, and she eventually found what she was looking for.

Every Imperial complex had emergency exits, put there if a rapid evacuation was needed for some reason. They were rarely used and well hidden; most Imperials never even knew about them. Jaina had only found out about them from her time in the ISB. She'd also learned that they were never guarded, making it easy to slip in and out without being noticed.

Within seconds Jaina was out of the complex and on the streets of Garel City, moving at a steady clip towards the spaceport. She ducked into the first alley she could find, needing to ditch her uniform. She was already receiving curious looks from the locals, and there was no way she'd be able to board a civilian transport in her Imperial uniform without drawing unwanted attention to herself.

She quickly changed, shoving the uniform behind some trash bins that were set outside one of the shops. She kept her blaster and ident card, stowing them in the backpack. Jaina figured if she got caught or someone started asking questions, she could just say she was working undercover. Pulling the hood of the poncho over her head, she made her way back out onto the street, mixing in with the locals going about their daily business.

She was only a few blocks from the spaceport when the alarms at the Imperial complex began to sound. Knowing her sudden absence had finally been noticed, Jaina all but ran the rest of the way. The transport was leaving in the next few minutes, and by some miracle, there was no line inside the ticketing area. She tossed the credits to the man working behind the glass, grabbed her ticket, and sprinted on board, just as they were getting ready to close the doors.

Jaina found a seat in the rear of the shuttle and sat down, keeping her eyes on the door until it finally closed. She held her breath as the shuttle climbed into the air, then slowly made its way out of the atmosphere. Only after the shuttle entered hyperspace did she allow herself to slightly relax. She leaned her head back against the seat and stared out the side viewport as the mottled blue of hyperspace passed by, not entirely believing what she had just done.

The fact that they'd sounded the alarm the instant they'd realized she was gone told Jaina she'd made the right decision, but that didn't make it hurt any less. She'd just betrayed everything she had fought and worked so hard for. Her eyes stung, and Jaina quickly blinked back the tears. She'd always known she was taking a great risk by using the ability she had, but the longer she had gone without getting caught, the more confident—and apparently complacent—she’d gotten.

Now she had to face the consequences. Beyond staying off the Empire's radar, Jaina had no idea what came next. It wasn't like she had anyone she could go to for help. Anyone she even remotely considered a friend was either a loyalty officer themselves, or an agent of the ISB. And she knew all of them wouldn't think twice about turning her in if she reached out to them.

She couldn't exactly go home either. On top of the fact that it would be the first place the Empire would go looking, Jaina had no family there except for her mother and father. And considering how she'd left things with them she wasn't entirely sure they wouldn't turn her in either. Jaina closed her eyes, remembering the last conversation she'd had with them before she'd departed for Coruscant, and the ISB Academy.

It hadn't been a pleasant one. She didn't know what she'd expected, but it hadn't been what had happened. Her parents had fiercely resisted her joining the Empire at every turn, and that day had been no different. Rather than telling Jaina how proud they were of her—she was one of the youngest to ever be accepted into the elite program—her father had instead started yet another argument.

The words they'd exchanged had been harsh, and even now, Jaina cringed recalling them. In her anger, she'd said things she hadn't meant, and had stormed off to the waiting shuttle, not even bothering to look back. Jaina could clearly feel how upset they were, and if she hadn't been so angry with them, she probably would've broken down and stayed, just so she wouldn't have to feel their pain.

However, any regret she'd had at that moment had faded the instant the shuttle left Mandalore's atmosphere. Once on Coruscant, Jaina threw herself into her studies, always making excuses about how busy she was any time someone brought her family up. She'd been too afraid to reach out to them, at least in the beginning, even though she ached to. That had faded, however, and over time she'd pushed what had happened out of her mind.

But now the memory of it came flooding back, and with it a pang of regret so strong it caught Jaina by surprise. Her eyes burned again and this time, she let the tears fall. She'd been so sure of herself back then. So sure, that she could make it on her own. But now that she truly was all on her own, all Jaina wanted to do was go home. To hug her mother and father and tell them how sorry she was. She realized, with no small amount of sadness, that she didn't even know if they were still alive.

"Please take your seats and strap yourselves in." The mechanical voice of the pilot droid echoed through the cabin, jolting Jaina from her thoughts. "We will be arriving at Akiva shortly."

Jaina wiped her eyes and gazed out the forward viewport, watching as the blue of hyperspace changed back to starlines and they returned to realpsace. Akiva was directly in front of them, and Jaina's eyes swept the space around it, looking for cruisers or destroyers; anything that would signal a significant Imperial presence on the planet. She saw none and breathed a small sigh of relief.

The pilot smoothly took them in, setting the shuttle down in the capital city's spaceport. Jaina couldn't see much as they'd landed, and she hoped there would be no one checking IDs once they exited. She had her story prepared, just in case, but it was unnecessary. She only saw a handful of stormtroopers as she walked through the spaceport, and none of them seemed to care who was coming or going. Regardless, Jaina pulled the hood of her poncho farther over her head and quickly made her way out into the city.

A glance at the sky told her it was early evening there, and the streets were bustling with activity. Jaina casually wound her way through the chaos, taking in all the colors and smells. The entire city seemed to be outside. The shops and vendors that lined the streets were packed with customers, and Jaina couldn't help but notice how everyone seemed to move at a slower pace than she was used to. She figured it probably had something to do with how hot and humid it was—she was already sweating through her clothes.

It had been a very long time since Jaina had been surrounded by so many people, and all the emotions swirling around her were a shock to her senses at first. They gradually faded into the background, as they always did, the longer she walked. Her anxiety also dwindled the farther she walked, and after a while, Jaina had nearly forgotten why'd she come here in the first place. She was quickly reminded when she walked right into a stormtrooper patrol. She froze, unsure of what they would do, but they brushed her off without even a passing glance.

Deciding her little sightseeing tour of the city was over, for now, Jaina entered the nearest cantina she could find. She needed a drink and something to eat while she tried to work out what, exactly, her plan was while she was here. The cantina was packed, which was always a good sign, and the food smelled amazing. There were no tables available, so Jaina found a seat at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice her. Which he did, almost immediately.

"You're not from here," he casually said as he walked up to her. Jaina frowned. Had she really been that obvious? If so, she was going to have to re-think staying on this planet. He chuckled as he saw her reaction. "I've worked here for almost fifteen years now," he explained with a shrug. "I see the same faces over and over again. Yours is a new one. And we don't get many new ones in here very often."

Jaina nodded slowly and studied him carefully. He seemed sincere enough, and she could detect no hostility or deception behind his words, his body language, or in his emotions. She decided he was harmless and gave him a half-smile.

"You're right," she said, "I'm not."

He returned the smile. "Well, welcome to Myrra," he said with an exaggerated bow, "Akiva's capital city, and home to the best cantina this side of the Outer Rim." He stood back up and winked at her.

"Thank you," Jaina said, slightly embarrassed. No one seemed to be paying either one of them any attention though, and she realized he must be like this all the time.

"So, what can I get for you? Ale? Whiskey?" He eyed her closely. "No, wait…I think I know." He turned around and grabbed a bottle of something from behind the bar and poured it into a glass. Jaina raised an eyebrow at him, and he grinned and pushed the glass towards her. Pushing aside any remaining doubts about the man, Jaina took the glass and drank it all in one go.

It burned like hell going down, but the after taste was quite pleasant and this time, Jaina gave him a genuine smile. "Perfect." He beamed and poured her another.

"Would you like something to eat as well?" he asked as Jaina drank down the second one.

"Yes," she replied, "but since you seemed to know exactly what I'd like to drink, I think I'll let you decide my choice of food as well."

"An excellent choice," he said. "You won't be disappointed." He headed off to serve his other customers and Jaina smiled to herself as she watched him work. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all. Although she'd need to slow down on those drinks if he was going to keep pouring them for her. Whatever it was, it was strong.

Jaina pivoted around on her seat and looked around the room, her keen eyes noticing everything and missing nothing. It was loud and rowdy, but there was a good mix of those who seemed to be the regular drunks and families that had gathered for their evening meals. The bartender did, indeed, seem to know them all, and he deftly moved from table to table, taking time at each one to speak with the patrons occupying them.

A twinge of sadness hit Jaina as she watched. In another life, she'd been one of these children, giddy to be out of the house for an evening with her parents. She shook her head, trying to shake away the memories, and turned back around. The bartender had another drink waiting for her, and this time Jaina sipped on it as she waited for her food.

The man certainly seemed to know exactly what she'd like, because the food was also excellent. It had been ages since she'd had a real meal—the Empire preferred their people subsist only on ration packs and nutri-milk—and Jaina tried her best to eat slowly so she could savor it.

"That was amazing," Jaina said, as the bartender came back to clear her plate. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." He poured her another drink and she gladly accepted it. "I'm Rowen, by the way. As you've probably already guessed, I own this place."

"Jaina," she said, after taking a sip. "And yes, I figured as much."

"So, what brings you to Akiva, Jaina?" Her anxiety instantly skyrocketed, but then she quickly realized Rowen was genuinely curious and had meant nothing malicious by the question. Her hesitation to answer didn't go unnoticed, however.

"That's okay, you don't have to tell me," Rowen said. Jaina could hear a hint of sympathy in his voice. He nodded at the backpack that was still around her shoulders and gave her a small smile. "Just know that whatever you're running from…there's a damn good chance it'll never find you all the way out here."

Jaina gave him a faint smile in return and quickly finished her drink, suddenly ready to move on. She needed to find a place to stay for the night, and if she sat here any longer, she'd end up too drunk to do anything but sleep in the alley next door. Once again, though, Rowen had already anticipated what she'd want.

"Do you have a place to stay yet?" Jaina stared at him and slowly shook her head. "I didn't think so. I also rent out a few of the rooms upstairs. Would you like one? The fee is cheap and negotiable."

Jaina thought about the offer for a moment. She couldn't remember the last time a complete stranger had been this nice to her. It made her uneasy, even though she knew, without a doubt, Rowen meant no harm and was of no threat to her. And really, she had no other options and didn't feel like wandering through the city trying to find a better one.

"That would be great," Jaina said slowly. "Thank you."

"It's no problem, really." Rowen held up the bottle. "One more, before you go?"

"Sure, why not," she replied. Jaina took the backpack off her shoulders and started rummaging around inside, looking for the credits so she could pay him.

"Nope," Rowen said, pushing the drink towards her, "consider tonight on the house. A 'welcome to Myrra' gift." He poured a drink for himself and held it up. Jaina grabbed hers and did the same, and they quickly swallowed them down.

She thanked Rowen profusely as he showed her to her room. Jaina still couldn't believe her luck, or how kind Rowen was being to her. He quickly ran over the rules for his guests, before departing back down to the bar, where the families were now gone, and the drunks had the run of the place. Jaina locked the door behind him and looked around her new home.

The room was simple enough. A bed, a desk, a shower in the corner, and a very small kitchenette in case she wanted to cook anything on her own. Considering she had no idea how to do that, Jaina knew that would get absolutely no use. She sighed as she sat down on the bed, not entirely sure if the room was spinning from the alcohol, or from how drastically her life had just changed in a matter of hours.

The emotion she'd been holding at bay since leaving Garel finally spilled over, and Jaina broke down. She cried for the shattered mess her life had suddenly become. For the loss of the life she'd once had. And for the now-lost future she'd dreamt of. Jaina cried until there was nothing left, until she was completely empty.

She would feel sorry for herself tonight and wallow in her misery. And tomorrow, she would begin to pick up the pieces again.


	3. Misplaced Priorities

“You need a hobby,” Rowen told her, as Jaina pushed her empty glass back to him. He gave her a disapproving look. “One that doesn’t involve slowly drinking yourself to death.”

Jaina huffed and rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I’m doing. I’m just…celebrating. And I already have a hobby.”

It was Rowen’s turn to roll his eyes. “Wandering aimlessly around the city before coming in here to slowly drink yourself to death is not a hobby.”

He turned and walked away, and Jaina frowned at his back, realizing her glass was still empty. She huffed again. She didn’t want to admit it, but Rowen was right. She’d been on Akiva for a little over a week now, and to say she was bored would be an understatement. She wasn’t used to having so much time on her hands. If she wasn’t out “wandering aimlessly around the city” Jaina was in here, trying to quiet the raging storm going on inside her mind.

All the extra free time meant she had entirely too much time to think. About what she’d done. About how she’d blown up her entire life. And about how she still had no idea what she was going to do about it. The alcohol helped quiet those thoughts, at least for a little while. Still, though, she needed something to do. The last thing Jaina wanted was to become one of the regulars that were in here from the time the bar opened until it closed.

“There’s nothing to do in this city,” she whined when Rowen finally came back over. “So how am I supposed to find a hobby?”

“Well,” he said slowly, leaning on the bar, “you could work here. I could use the help, and you’ve proven you can handle yourself when things get a little crazy.”

Jaina stared at Rowen like he was crazy. “Think about it,” he said. He walked away again, still leaving her glass empty, to go serve a family that had just come in.

Jaina's first instinct was to reject his offer outright. There was no way she’d be caught dead working in a cantina—it was beneath her. She was, after all, an officer of the Imperial Security Bureau.

 _Was_. The word echoed loudly in Jaina's mind and her shoulders slumped. That wasn’t her life anymore. She needed to make peace with that, somehow. Maybe this could be a small step in that direction. _And besides_ , Jaina thought, _it's not like I have another option_. She couldn’t walk up to the Imperial garrison here and ask for her old job back.

She mulled it over as Rowen made his rounds, taking care of the other customers. By the time he made his way back to her, Jaina had her answer.

“You do realize I have no idea what I’m doing, and you’d have to teach me everything, right?” she said.

“I do,” Rowen replied, grinning. “I also have a feeling you’re a fast learner and wouldn’t have a hard time picking it up.”

Jaina blew out a breath. “Fine. When would you like me to start?”

“How about right now?” Rowen said, his grin growing wider.

Jaina quickly snatched the bottle he was holding along with her glass. “Let me have one more drink, then I’m all yours. Deal?”

Rowen narrowed his eyes, and Jaina froze, thinking she’d made him mad. Then his expression softened, and he grabbed another glass and set it on the bar. “Deal. You can start by pouring me one as well.”

Jaina joined him behind the bar after they’d finished their drinks and spent the rest of the evening trying to keep up with him, while also trying to pay attention to everything he was doing. It wasn’t as easy as it looked and she was thankful she was, indeed, a fast learner. A nagging question kept poking its way through her concentration, and by the end of the night, Jaina decided it was time to ask.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked Rowen as they cleaned up after closing. “You don’t know who I am, where I came from, or anything about me. But you’ve been nothing by kind since I got here. Why?”

Rowen stopped what he was doing and looked at her. “You want to know if there’s something in it for me. Because there’s no way I wouldn’t want something in return, eventually. Right?”

“Well…yeah,” Jaina said shrugging. “Isn’t that how it always is?”

Rowen gave her a sad look. “Most of the time. At least from my experience. And, if I’m being honest, I’m not always this nice to every stranger who wanders into my bar.”

“So why me?” Jaina asked. “How am I any different?”

Rowen sighed. “Because fifteen years ago, I was you. I landed here, with nothing but the clothes on my back and a few credits tucked away in a bag. Needing to make a fresh start somewhere I knew no one would find me. A stranger—the former owner of this place actually—saw me and decided to take a chance on me. I vowed that I would repay his kindness, whenever I could.”

Jaina stared at him, stunned. It wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting, but he was telling the truth. “I—I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Rowen replied. “You asked, and now you have your answer. Does that satisfy your question?”

“Yes, it does,” Jaina replied, nodding. “Thank you.” Rowen inclined his head at her and went back to work.

From that night on Jaina worked as hard as she could for Rowen, trying to make sure he wouldn’t regret taking the chance he did on her. Rowen kept her busy; so much so that the host of negative thoughts that used to occupy her mind ceased to exist. She still liked to wander around the city when she wasn’t working, but Jaina no longer spent those walks brooding about her misfortune.

She’d never been much of a people person but found she enjoyed the social aspect of working there. The people were friendly, and once they saw Rowen had given Jaina his stamp of approval, they accepted her. Besides the occasional pass some of the regulars would take at her after one too many, the job itself was fun. It certainly wasn’t boring. She’d even started to get to know some of the families that would come in regularly.

After a month had passed with no sign of the Inquisitor or the Empire, Jaina was cautiously starting to think things were going to be okay. Myrra was beginning to feel like a real home, a place where she could truly start over. It was on one of her rare days off, during another leisurely walk through the city, that Jaina decided it was time to move out from the room Rowen was renting her and get her own place.

Happy with her decision and excited to tell Rowen, Jaina hurried back to the cantina. It wasn’t crowded yet, but the dinner crowd was slowly gathering, and she found a seat at the bar. Rowen nodded to her as she sat down, but he was busy, so Jaina decided her good news could wait for now. One of the regulars she’d become friendly with, Brentin, came up and sat down next to her, nodding hello as he took his seat.

Jaina gave him a nod in return then looked around, frowning. “You by yourself tonight?” she asked him. In the month that she’d worked there, Brentin had always come in with his wife and young son. This was the first night Jaina had seen him alone.

“Yeah, they decided to stay home,” Brentin replied. “Temmin’s, uh, not feeling well.”

Jaina nodded slowly. Brentin was lying and it was obvious, at least to her. Something was going on with him and Jaina idly wondered if there was trouble at home. It wasn’t her place to ask, however, and she decided to let the lie go.

“Well I hope he feels better,” she said sympathetically. “Want something to drink or eat? Rowen seems busy and I don’t mind.”

“No, thank you,” Brentin said with a shake of his head. He glanced nervously at the door. “I’m, uh, waiting for a few friends. They should be here shortly.”

“Okay, well if you change your mind, let me know,” Jaina replied, as casually as she could. Something was off with him. His body language was tense—tenser than she’d ever seen him, and the nervous energy Jaina could feel coming off him was making her skin crawl.

Brentin nodded slightly and turned to face the door. Jaina turned back to the bar, her good news for Rowen a distant memory as she pondered what was going on with Brentin. Maybe he was in some sort of trouble, though Jaina didn’t think that was likely either. He didn’t seem the type to get mixed up with anything illegal. And Myrra wasn’t exactly a hotbed for criminal activity, which was why the Imperial footprint here was small.

A sudden movement caught Jaina's attention and she turned to see Brentin stand up and quickly make his way through the crowd towards the door. She watched him and did a double-take when she saw who he was meeting. Two men, one older and one younger, and a woman around her age were now greeting Brentin, but it was the older man who had caught Jaina's eye. She stared at him, then turned around and stared at Rowen. The resemblance was uncanny.

Rowen noticed her staring and made his way over. “The usual?” he asked. Jaina nodded, continuing to look back and forth between Rowen and the other man, as Brentin’s group made their way to a table.

“Do you know them?” Jaina asked him, nodding in the direction of the newcomers.

Rowen glanced over and his eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ve seen them in here a few times. They always meet with Brentin, never order anything, then Brentin will leave with them not long after they arrive.” He shrugged and poured her drink. “Always thought it was odd, but they’ve never caused any trouble, so I just leave them alone.”

Jaina absentmindedly nodded as she watched them. “I don’t trust them.” Rowen laughed.

“You don’t trust anyone,” he said. Jaina chuckled and turned back around.

“No one but you,” she replied, raising her glass to him. She looked back over at the table as she took a sip. “That older one looks a lot like you. Except for the beard of course. You’re sure he’s not some long-lost brother you forgot about?”

Rowen watched the group for a moment, then smirked at her. “I suppose he does. Who knows, maybe he is?” He stroked his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. “What do you think? Should I grow one?”

Jaina scrunched up her face and shook her head. Rowen laughed again and shrugged, before turning to go help his other customers. Jaina sipped on her drink and watched the group as nonchalantly as she could. They weren’t nearly as tense as Brentin, but they weren’t exactly relaxed either. Especially the woman. Her head was in constant motion, her eyes darting around the cantina as if she expected something to happen at any moment.

On another casual glance at the group, Jaina caught her watching her. She held the woman’s gaze for a moment, until the woman looked away, resuming her scan of the other patrons. Jaina chuckled. Under any other circumstances, the woman’s dark brown hair and piercing green eyes would’ve had Jaina immediately walking over to ask if she could buy her a drink.

Jaina had just finished her drink and was getting up to go get herself another one when she noticed Brentin’s group stand up and start making their way to the door. Brentin was in the lead, the others trailing behind him. He kept glancing around nervously, and his anxiety level was as high as anything Jaina had ever felt. She could feel it across the cantina, through everyone else.

Something was definitely going on and Jaina hesitated, unsure if she should follow them or not. On one hand, whatever Brentin was up to with those people was none of her business. On the other, if he was in trouble, she couldn’t just sit here and do nothing to help him. Especially since it seemed like no one else besides her was aware that something wasn’t right.

Jaina glanced back at Rowen, hoping that he’d noticed, but he was busy with one of the drunks. Looking back at the door, she saw that the group was now gone and Jaina made a split-second decision. Her instincts were telling her something was wrong, so she hurried out the door after them, figuring she could at least follow them and see what they were up to.

The evening air was as muggy as ever, and Jaina scanned the crowd trying to find them. She caught a glimpse of the back of Brentin’s head, bobbing through the maze of people as he moved quickly through them. She kept her eyes on him and set off after them. They were moving at a pretty good pace, considering how packed the streets were, and it was all Jaina could do to keep the back of his head in her sights.

Eventually, the crowd began to thin as they made their way towards the outskirts of the city. Jaina was finding it harder and harder to keep herself hidden and had to resort to dropping farther behind them than she would’ve liked. She realized, with a small amount of dread, that they were heading towards the Imperial garrison. She’d made a point on her walks to steer clear of the place, and the closer they got, the more exposed she felt.

She wasn’t paying as much attention to Brentin’s group as she should have been, her mind now focused on what she was going to do if they got any closer to the garrison, so Jaina was too slow to react when she saw the woman suddenly turn around and stare directly at her. The woman’s eyes went wide, then she quickly turned back around and said something to the others.

Jaina swore under her breath as she realized her mistake and quickly looked around, trying to find some cover. Of course, there was none. She swore again when she looked back and realized the group was now gone.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Jaina took off at a jog towards the end of the street where they’d last been. She knew what she was doing was foolish and she should just go back to the cantina, but she wouldn’t be able to look his family in the eye ever again if something happened to Brentin and she didn’t try to stop it.

She rounded the corner, hoping they’d still be in view and skidded to a halt. Three blasters were pointed directly at her head and Jaina quickly threw her hands up in front of her.

“Whoa, hey, easy now. I’m unarmed,” she said calmly. The two men scowled at her and Jaina glanced behind them, seeing Brentin but not the woman.

“Search her,” the old man said curtly, and Jaina’s eyes went wide. He even sounded just like Rowen. She made a mental note to ask Rowen about it later if she somehow managed to get herself out of this mess.

A wave of nervous energy hit Jaina from behind and she realized it was coming from the woman. She didn’t move and stood there calmly as the woman searched her, thankful she’d finally gotten out of the habit of carrying her blaster with her everywhere. However, when the woman moved down to her boots, Jaina cringed.

“Oops,” Jaina said lightly, as the woman pulled out the knife she kept hidden in there and tossed it to the younger man. “Must’ve forgotten about that.” And she had. She’d only started carrying it recently after one of the drunks had followed her to her room one night and she’d had to get a little physical with him. Rowen had insisted she start carrying one, and even though Jaina didn’t think she needed it, she did, just to ease his mind.

The woman finished her search and walked around her, leveling her blaster at Jaina as she joined the men. Jaina kept her hands in the air, not wanting to spook them. She could feel how on edge they were. She wasn’t terrible in a fight, but three—possibly four if she counted Brentin—on one were odds she didn’t like. Especially since she was now completely unarmed.

“Why were you following us?” the old man asked gruffly.

“I wasn’t following you,” Jaina replied evenly, “I was following him.” She nodded to Brentin and spoke directly to him. “Who are these people Brentin?” He seemed to be trying to hide behind the others, not wanting to look Jaina in the eye.

“That’s none of your business,” the younger man replied. Jaina ignored him and continued to speak to Brentin.

“Look, if you’re in some sort of trouble or something, I’m sure we can figure something out. Let’s just go back to Rowen’s place—”

“You are more than welcome to go back,” the younger man interrupted. “In fact, that’s exactly what you should do. Brentin is fine. Aren’t you Brentin?”

Brentin nodded, his eyes pleading with Jaina to do as the younger man was asking. She thought about it for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

“No, I don’t think I will.” She tried to catch Brentin’s eye again. “Does your wife know where you are? Does your son?” The pained look Brentin gave her told her they had no idea, and Jaina shook her head again. “Well I’m not going anywhere, so you can either shoot me or tell me what’s going on.”

Jaina didn’t think they would shoot her, given how nervous they were, but she wasn’t entirely sure they wouldn’t either. They didn’t appear to be smugglers, or pirates, or even spice runners, but that observation was based on her very limited knowledge of such things. The old man grunted in frustration and glanced at the other two, who seemed to have no idea what to do either, and were looking to him for answers.

He started to slowly lower his blasters, the others following suit when Jaina noticed movement behind them. She cursed and quickly lowered her arms, hoping the stormtrooper patrol that had just walked into view hadn’t noticed them yet. The others saw her reaction and immediately spun around, quickly holstering their blasters as they, too, saw the patrol. Jaina held her breath, hoping the patrol would pass by without paying attention to them, as they always did.

Luck was not on her side tonight, and Jaina grimaced as the patrol slowed to a stop in front of them. She lowered her head and tried to hide behind the old man, glancing around to see if she could somehow sneak away.

“What’s all this?” the lead trooper casually asked.

“Uh, nothing sir,” the old man replied, making his way to the front of the group. “We were just having a conversation. My friends and I, we’re not from around here, so we stopped to ask directions from this nice gentleman.” He clapped Brentin on the shoulder and Brentin smiled weakly at the trooper.

Jaina was trying to slowly back away in the direction she’d come from while the old man kept the troopers occupied, but unfortunately, this patrol was a little more observant than the others she’d encountered.

“Hey, stop right there,” one of them said, pointing to her. Jaina froze and the old man turned around and glared at her.

“All right, let’s see some identification,” the lead trooper ordered. “Come on, get them out, let’s go.”

No one moved. “Now, that’s not necessary, sir,” the old man said, and Jaina watched as his hands started inching towards his blasters. The others had noticed as well, and theirs, too, were beginning to creep towards their weapons.

The lead trooper wasn’t buying it and raised his rifle, pointing it at the old man. “Identifications. Now.”

“Of course, sir, right away,” the old man calmly replied. He turned around to face the four of them and shrugged. “You heard the man.” Jaina saw both the younger man and woman nod imperceptibly, and then as if on some unseen cue, all three of them drew their blasters at once and fired on the patrol.

In an instant, there was chaos. Jaina ducked when the first shots rang out and frantically looked around for any cover that might be nearby. There was a stack of storage containers near one of the buildings on the other side of the street, and she sprinted towards it. The troopers had already recovered and were starting to return fire when she dove behind the containers. The others quickly joined her.

Jaina scowled at Brentin as he crouched next to her. He gave her an apologetic look and she just shook her head at him. The others were returning fire as best they could at the troopers, and Jaina peeked out from around the side to see what was going on. The troopers had taken cover behind another stack of containers about fifty meters from them.

She wasn’t an expert on trooper tactics, but she did know there was no way they hadn’t called for backup already. And since the garrison was close, it wouldn’t take their reinforcements long to arrive. They needed to get out of there, and fast. The old man seemed to realize this as well, and he crouched down next to her and Brentin.

“Okay, we’re going to do this one at a time,” he shouted over the din. “When I tell you, run like hell that way.” He pointed in the direction they’d originally come from. He looked at Jaina. “You first.”

She shook her head. “No way. He goes first. He has a family.” The old man narrowed his eyes but didn’t argue. Brentin gave Jaina a grateful look and then stood up in a half-crouch, ready to run.

“Okay,” the old man said, nodding to the other two. “Now!” The three of them opened up with enough fire to keep the trooper’s heads down and Jaina watched as Brentin sprinted as fast as he could. He made it around the corner and disappeared from their sight.

“Your turn,” the old man said, and Jaina nodded. She started to get herself ready to run when the troopers opened up with an intense salvo, pinning all four of them to the ground. Jaina could feel the container start to move as the blaster fire furiously impacted the other side. There was no way she was going anywhere for now.

She was beginning to wonder if the troopers were ever going to let up when she heard a whistling sound overhead. Before any of them could react, a rocket slammed into the wall above their heads. The wall exploded, raining large chunks of debris down onto them. Instinctively, Jaina put her hands up, as if that would somehow protect her from the crushing weight of the falling wall and waited for the inevitable end.

Nothing happened. Tentatively, she opened her eyes and realized the debris was hovering inches above their heads. Jaina had no idea what was happening, but it was as if she could _feel_ the pieces of debris in her mind. Her whole body seemed to be buzzing with a sensation she’d never felt before. She froze, not wanting to move or speak, for fear that whatever hold she seemed to have on the debris would fail, and they would be crushed.

“Go, now,” the old man quietly told the other two. “We’ll be right behind you.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jaina saw them quickly get up and sprint in the same direction Brentin had gone, firing on the troopers as they went. She heard the troopers return fire, shifting their focus to them, and off the old man and Jaina.

“Okay," the old man said calmly. “On the count of three, we're both going to sprint in that same direction, got it?”

“I…I can’t,” Jaina managed to croak out.

“Yes, you can,” the old man replied, "because you don't have another choice. There's no way the troopers didn't see this, and they will report it. If they don't catch you now, they will tear this city apart looking for you.” She gave him a terrified look, and he continued: “But I think you already know that. We will get you to safety, take you wherever you want to go. I promise.”

Jaina stared at him, wondering if she could trust him. Her instincts told her yes, and she couldn’t detect any hints of deception in his eyes or his tone. He really did remind her of Rowen, and Rowen’s face flashed in her mind.

She couldn’t just disappear again, not when she’d worked so hard to gain his trust. He wouldn’t understand and would never forgive her. And she was happy here. She’d finally started to rebuild her life again.

The memory of her last encounter with the Inquisitor forced its way in, and Jaina realized the old man was right. The Empire would find out about what happened here, and she had no doubt they’d send the Inquisitor to investigate. She couldn’t risk sticking around and putting Rowen in danger.

She gave the old man a small nod. “Okay,” he said, “one…two…three!” He grabbed Jaina's arm and yanked her out from under the debris. They sprinted towards the other two, who immediately opened fire on the troopers when they realized what was happening. Whatever hold Jaina had on the debris was released as soon as she cleared it, and it came crashing down behind them as they ran.

“Our ride?” the old man asked the younger one as they cleared the corner behind the other two.

“On her way,” he replied, continuing to send a steady stream of blaster bolts in the trooper’s direction.

“Then let's go," the old man said. The younger one nodded, sent a few more bolts towards the troopers, then took off at a run up the street. The others followed him, Jaina keeping pace beside the old man. She was surprised that he seemed so fit, given how old he looked.

Jaina felt him nudge her arm and looked over. “I’ll want that back,” he said coolly, as he handed her one of his blasters. She nodded and looked over her shoulder as they ran, seeing that the troopers were now following them.

She didn’t want to fire on them if she didn’t have to—they were just doing their jobs, after all—but had no choice once a few bolts sizzled past her head. Turning as she ran, Jaina squeezed off a few shots, not even bothering to look and see where they landed. She’d always been a decent shot, but she wasn’t trying to kill them. She just needed to make sure they didn’t kill her. The groups continued to exchange fire as they ran, and Jaina idly wondered where the trooper’s reinforcements were.

The younger man led them through the narrow streets, twisting and turning their way towards a part of the city she’d never been to. They ducked down a side street and Jaina thought she caught a glimpse of the jungle in front of them when without warning, a ship roared overhead.

“There’s our ride!” the old man yelled from behind her. Jaina looked up, but the ship was gone, heading off towards the jungle.

They burst out of the street and into a large clearing. The jungles of Akiva were directly ahead of them, and to their left, Jaina watched as a freighter circled in the distance and started heading in their direction. She heard a rumbling sound and looked to her right, seeing with some horror, a column of Imperial tanks making a beeline towards them.

Everyone else saw the tanks at the same time she did, and they sprinted for the incoming freighter. The tanks fired their first salvo and the ground shook as the rounds exploded behind them. The freighter was finally on the ground now and Jaina could see its ramp start to lower. Much to her surprise, it was well-armed and opened up with a barrage of laser fire, targeting the tanks.

Blaster fire from the troopers that had followed them scorched the air around her as Jaina ran, and she blindly fired back. The tanks fired again, the rounds impacting even closer this time, and the concussion knocked Jaina off her feet. She rolled back up and took off again, urging her legs to go faster.

The younger man and woman had already made it to the freighter, and Jaina was closing in when the tanks fired again. She heard the old man shout something from behind her, but it was unintelligible over the din of the firefight.

Suddenly, the world erupted in front of her, and for a split second, Jaina felt like she was flying. Then everything went dark.


	4. Unfortunate Reality

There were two things Jaina became aware of as she slowly regained consciousness. The first, and most distressing, was the pain. It was excruciating and not one part of her body was left untouched. The second, less distressing, was the two voices she could hear. She strained through the haze of pain to listen as they made their way closer to her.

“…I suppose I could try, but it’s not something I was ever taught to do.” It was a woman’s voice, and vaguely familiar.

“How do you know about it then?” The second voice was not familiar at all, but it also belonged to a woman. Jaina tried to turn her head and open her eyes to see who was talking and immediately became aware of something far more distressing than the pain.

She couldn’t move. Panicked, she tried again. Nothing happened. Panic turned to terror and Jaina tried to open her mouth to speak. If she couldn’t move, maybe she could try to get the women’s attention by talking, or yelling, or something. Once again, nothing happened. She couldn’t even open her mouth.

“I stumbled across it while doing some research—” the familiar voice abruptly stopped, pausing for a moment before continuing. “She’s awake.” The voice sounded surprised, then paused again. “Something’s wrong.”

Jaina could hear the concern in her tone and tried again to move or speak. Something was indeed wrong, and she was desperate to let whoever was speaking know. _I CAN’T MOVE_ , Jaina screamed in her head, knowing it was futile. Whoever it was, they most certainly couldn’t read her mind.

“How can you tell?” The second, unfamiliar voice sounded skeptical. “She hasn’t moved at all.”

“I just can,” the first voice replied. “May I?” The second voice didn’t respond, and Jaina felt a hand gently grab hers. The panic and terror subsided slightly when she realized if she was paralyzed, she wouldn’t have been able to feel that.

“If you can hear me, try and squeeze my hand,” the first voice said. Her tone was soothing, and despite the panic and the pain, Jaina instantly felt at ease. She concentrated as hard as she could, focusing all her energy into her hand, trying to force it to do as the woman had asked.

Her effort was rewarded when Jaina felt her hand twitch, slightly closing around the other woman’s. “Good,” the woman said. “Are you in pain?” Once again, Jaina focused as hard as she could, and her hand responded, twitching slightly. The effort was taking what little energy she had.

“Let’s see if I can help with that,” the woman said. “Do you mind?” Jaina didn’t know if she was talking to her or the other woman, but considering she couldn’t move or speak, she figured she didn’t have much choice in the matter.

“Not at all,” the other woman replied. “I’m very interested to see if it works.”

Jaina felt another hand gently touch her ribs. The slight pressure sent fresh shockwaves of pain through her, and if she could’ve cried out, she would have. After a long moment, she began to feel a warm sensation spread throughout her body. It seemed to be originating from where the woman’s hands were touching her. Jaina had no idea what was happening but didn’t care as the pain gradually began to subside.

As the pain started to recede, so did whatever paralysis had a hold of her body. It was as if she’d been frozen and was now starting to thaw. Jaina's body began to twitch as her muscles relaxed, each spasm bringing on a fresh wave of pain. The sensation emanating from the woman’s hands intensified slightly, then began to decrease.

After a minute or two, the sensation subsided completely and Jaina felt the woman remove her hands. Finally able to move again, she rolled her head to the side and tried to force her eyes open. She needed to see who it was that was helping her. She knew the voice from somewhere and wanted to know before she lost consciousness again.

“Is that better?” the woman asked. Her eyelids finally relented some, and Jaina could see two blurry figures standing next to her. Trying to blink away the blurriness, she nodded as best she could.

“Thank you,” she said weakly.

“You’re welcome,” the woman replied, and the figure closest to her started to move away. Her eyes refused to focus, however, and the woman moved out of her view. “The doctor is going to give you something for your pain and to help you sleep.”

The other figure now moved out of her view as well, and Jaina tried to turn her head to follow, but the pain wouldn’t allow it. She wanted to ask where she was and who they were, but she didn’t have the energy.

A new, cold, sensation began rapidly spreading throughout her body, numbing the pain. Jaina could hear the women speaking to one another again and tried to listen as best she could, but it wasn’t long before the medicine took effect and she drifted off again.

Jaina had no idea how long she’d been out for, but when she finally awoke, she was pleasantly surprised to find the pain had subsided to a somewhat tolerable level. A quick check told her that the paralysis hadn’t returned, but any major movement was still out of the question. Her vision was also back, and Jaina took a moment to look around the room she was in.

It was clear that it wasn’t Imperial, and Jaina breathed a sigh of relief. If anything could’ve made the situation worse, it would’ve been being in Imperial custody. The room was small and looked like it had been roughly transformed at one point into a makeshift hospital room. The walls were made of stone and covered in vines and moss, and the air felt damp. Jaina assumed she was still on Akiva and wondered if Brentin had gotten word to Rowen about what had happened to her.

Then Jaina frowned, realizing she couldn’t remember what had happened. The last thing she could recall was confronting Brentin and his friends. After that, her memory was fuzzy. She shook her head in frustration. She needed to figure out where she was and whose care she was in.

The door slid open while she was trying to come up with a plan, and Jaina's mouth dropped open in shock as a woman walked in. It was the same stranger from the dream she’d had on Garel, albeit without the hood. She smiled slightly, seeing that Jaina was now awake.

Jaina stared at her as she walked up to the side of her bed. It was the same person, Jaina was sure of it. She seemed taller than she had in her dream, but everything else was the same. Her brain was still foggy from the painkillers, and try as she might, Jaina couldn’t think of the name of her species.

“I’m glad to see you’re finally awake,” the woman said. As soon as she spoke, Jaina knew, without a doubt, it was the stranger from her dream. And the same woman who had helped her before when she couldn’t move.

“Are you feeling any better?” the woman continued. Jaina nodded slightly.

“Yes,” Jaina replied. Her voice was thick from the medicine, and she winced at how terrible she sounded. “Thank you, for whatever you did earlier.”

The woman subtly inclined her head. “You’re welcome.” She looked at Jaina thoughtfully. “You're lucky to be alive.”

Jaina didn’t know how to respond, so she just nodded again. She studied the woman’s face, not even caring that it was obvious she was staring. She barely even noticed that the woman was studying her as well.

“Where am I?” Jaina asked her. “Am I still on Akiva?”

“No,” the woman replied shaking her head. Jaina’s eyes widened in worry and the woman added, “but you’re somewhere safe.”

Jaina frowned as she processed that information. The woman wasn’t lying to her, that much was clear, but the fact that she hadn’t said where she was made her uneasy. And Jaina couldn’t get a solid read on her emotions, which only added to the uneasiness. It was like the Inquisitor all over again, but without the dark cloud and unnerving sensation.

“So, what happened?” Jaina asked, somewhat bitterly. “How’d I end up here…wherever ‘here’ is?”

The woman raised an eyebrow at her. “I think I’ll let someone who was there answer that.” She keyed on her wrist comm and spoke into it. “You can come in now.”

Jaina’s eyes narrowed as the door slid open and the old man walked in, his arm in a sling. The woman from that night was right behind him, and Jaina was surprised by the amount of relief she could feel coming from the two of them. The last thing she could clearly remember was that they’d had their blasters pointed at her.

“It's good to see you're okay,” the old man said. “We were worried. You were in pretty bad shape.” As soon as Jaina heard his voice, her memory came rushing back. They’d been running from the Empire, running from the tanks, from the troopers. She remembered hearing the tanks firing, the explosions getting closer and closer.

His voice also brought another memory forward, one that caused a dull ache to form in her chest. _Rowen_. Jaina hoped he was safe, and that if Brentin had gotten away, he would’ve told him what happened. She said a silent apology, knowing he would never hear it but hoping he’d understand and forgive her.

“What happened?” Jaina asked the old man.

“Tank round exploded right in front of you,” he replied, confirming her suspicions. “I tried to warn you, but I don’t think you heard me.” Jaina slowly nodded. He caught her eyeing his sling and looked down at it. “The blast caught me too. Knocked both of us out, but I was lucky enough to walk away with just a busted arm and some bruised ribs.” He gave her a sheepish smile.

Jaina nodded again and he continued. “Kallus, the other guy, was able to drag me on board while Emry here,” he motioned to the woman standing next to him, “got you.”

Jaina shifted her gaze to the woman, Emry, who gave her a slightly embarrassed smile. “Thank you,” Jaina told her.

“You’re welcome,” Emry replied. “It was the least I could do after you saved us.”

Jaina cocked her head, not quite understanding, then it hit her and she froze. She’d forgotten about what had happened with the rocket debris. She felt her face flush and quickly looked away. She still had no idea what that had been and if they were looking for an explanation, they were going to be disappointed.

“Speaking of—” the old man started to say.

“Rex,” the familiar stranger said sharply. Jaina quickly looked up at her and saw she was frowning and shaking her head. “Not now.”

Jaina had no idea what was going on between the two of them, but she didn’t care, so long as she didn’t have to explain. The woman seemed to realize this and for that, Jaina was grateful. There was a moment of awkward silence, as the woman’s sharp rebuke hovered in the air, then Rex cleared his throat.

He gave the woman a slightly chagrined look and rubbed his head with his good hand. “Ah, right. Sorry.” He then turned his attention to Jaina. “Well, I guess we should let you get some rest.” He nodded at the woman beside Jaina then headed for the door.

“I’m Jaina, by the way.” Jaina decided since they were nice enough to have given her their names, not to mention saving her life, the least she could do was be polite enough to give them hers. She couldn’t feel any hostility coming from them and figured it was a harmless gesture that might work in her favor later on when she was healed enough to leave.

Rex turned back around and smiled at her. “Nice to meet you, Jaina.” Jaina returned the smile and watched him walk out the door. Emry turned to follow him, but not before she gave Jaina a nod and a smile as well. Jaina returned them both and watched her walk out after Rex.

“Are you hungry?” The woman’s voice startled her and Jaina jumped slightly, then winced in pain.

“Not really,” Jaina replied, even though she couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten anything. The medicine seemed to be dulling not only the pain but everything else as well.

“Now that you’re awake you should try to eat something,” the woman said. Jaina frowned but there was something in the woman’s voice that told her not to argue, so she didn’t. The last thing she needed was to make her mad.

“Fine,” Jaina said instead. “I guess I could try.”

“I’ll have the doctor bring you something when she comes in,” the woman said. “Do you need anything else?”

Jaina swallowed an urge to blurt out the first sarcastic reply that came to her mind and shook her head. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”

The woman nodded and turned to go. Before Jaina could stop them, the words slipped out. “I’ve seen you before.”

The woman turned and looked at her. Jaina’s face flushed and she rushed on: “I know it sounds crazy, but I've seen you before. In a dream I had, not that long ago. I just....needed to tell you. I don't know why.” Embarrassed, Jaina looked away, hoping the woman would say something, anything to break the awkwardness that now filled the room.

Finally, she sighed and gave Jaina a sympathetic look. “It doesn’t sound crazy. In fact, I’m not surprised.”

“You’re not?” Jaina asked incredulously. She wasn't sure she heard the woman right.

“No,” the woman replied with a chuckle. “There’s a good explanation for it, but it's not something we're going to discuss right now. The doctor will be here shortly, and you need to eat and rest. I’ll be back later, and then we can talk about your dream and what happened on Akiva.”

The woman had a knowing look on her face when she mentioned both the dream and Akiva, and Jaina wondered if the two were somehow connected. She quickly pushed those thoughts and all the questions that followed from her mind. The woman had said now was not the time, so she’d be patient. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do, and she certainly wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

“Okay,” Jaina replied. The woman turned to go, but Jaina had one last question she couldn’t let go of.

“What’s your name?” she asked, as the woman reached the door. She turned around again and smiled.

“Ahsoka,” she replied. Jaina smiled back at her, happy that she’d answered. She’d honestly not expected her to, given how vague she’d been with all of the questions Jaina had asked her so far. Ahsoka left without another word, leaving Jaina alone with her thoughts.

She passed the time waiting for the doctor by taking stock of what was in the room. It seemed to be mostly medical equipment, and nothing she could use to identify where she was, or what group these people belonged to. Given what she remembered from Akiva, and how outfitted the room was, Jaina knew she wasn’t dealing with a simple group of pirates or smugglers. Whoever they were, they were more sophisticated than that.

Another thing Jaina noticed, with a small amount of alarm, was that she didn’t see the clothes she’d been wearing that night on Akiva. Normally she wouldn’t have been concerned—she assumed the clothes were somewhat destroyed in the blast—but now that her head was clear, she realized she’d left her Imperial ident card in one of the pockets.

It was the one habit Jaina hadn’t been able to break. The card had been the last shred of a connection to her old life, and no matter how many times Jaina told herself she needed to move on, she couldn’t bear to throw it out. It was easy enough to hide, and she’d never worried about it being found while Emry had searched her. But if someone had gotten nosy and decided to thoroughly go through her pockets…

Jaina shuddered. Even though she didn’t know who these people were yet, she knew the fact that she had an ident card on her that identified her as an Imperial was not something that was going to help her. She wasn’t naïve. She was fully aware of the growing unrest against the Empire. She saw—and felt—it everywhere she went.

She needed more information, and fast. As if on cue, the door slid open again and a woman entered. Jaina eyed her suspiciously until she saw the ration pack she had in her hand and realized she was the doctor Ahsoka had spoken of. The doctor gave Jaina a disarming smile as she walked up to the bed. Jaina studied her, noting that she didn’t appear to be as guarded as the others. If she went about this the right way, she might be able to get the answers she needed. She smiled back as the doctor handed her the ration pack.

“Thank you,” Jaina said. She wasn’t hungry but opened the ration pack anyway. She said she’d try, and she would.

“You’re welcome,” the doctor replied. “How are you feeling?”

“Not great,” Jaina replied, “but not terrible either.”

“That’s to be expected. You’re very lucky the injuries weren’t more severe.” She was looking back and forth between her datapad and a monitor as she spoke. “Your recovery still won’t be quick, however.”

Jaina’s face fell. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She felt exposed and wanted to get away from whatever this place was as fast as she could. “How long?”

“That depends,” the doctor said, “on a lot of things. How quickly your body decides to heal.” She raised an eyebrow at Jaina. “How quickly you allow it to heal. It could be a few weeks or a few months. I assume no one’s gone over the extent of your injuries?”

Jaina shook her head. “I didn’t think so,” the doctor replied. She held up her hand and ticked them off on her fingers, one by one. “Broken ribs. Numerous lacerations. Some burns, though not as many as you could’ve had. And I had to remove quite a bit of shrapnel from pretty much everywhere.”

Jaina cringed as she spoke. Ahsoka was right, she was lucky to be alive. The blanket and bandages she was covered in hid the injuries from her sight, but she could certainly feel them. Her whole body ached. Every little movement brought fresh waves of pain. Even breathing hurt, but now that she knew she had broken ribs, that made a little more sense.

“I guess I’m not going anywhere for a while,” Jaina said with a sigh.

“No, you’re not,” the doctor replied, a sympathetic look on her face.

“Is there any way I can contact my family? Let them know I’m okay?” She had a hunch and decided now was the time to see if she was right. The doctor was definitely less guarded than the others and playing on her sympathy could work in Jaina’s favor.

The doctor hesitated, and for a moment Jaina thought it had worked. Then her face fell. “No, I’m sorry…” She trailed off. Jaina knew there was more she wanted to say, but couldn’t. She gave the doctor a curt nod, feigning annoyance, and a silence fell over the room as the doctor continued her assessment. Jaina let the silence hang until it was almost uncomfortable before speaking again.

“So, who do you work for? Crimson Dawn? Black Sun? The Hutts? Or maybe the Pykes?” Jaina watched the doctor closely as she spoke, looking for any signs in her reaction that would tell her how close to the mark she’d hit. Shockingly, she saw none. The doctor stopped what she was doing and stared at her, genuine surprise written all over her face.

Jaina stared back, waiting for the woman’s emotions to give her away, but all she could feel was the same surprise she could see. Frustration flared inside her—it had to have been one of those. There was no way she’d been wrong. If not one of the major crime syndicates, then who? Who else would have the credits and resources needed for this kind of medical care?

“They didn’t tell you?” the doctor finally asked. Jaina frustratedly shook her head, ignoring the pain it brought on. “I work for the Alliance.”

Shock and fear hit Jaina at the same time as she realized what the doctor was saying. She quickly tried to hide her reaction, so as not to spook her and slowly nodded. “Ah….okay. That makes sense.” The doctor smiled at her and went back to work.

She had been wrong. There _was_ something worse than being in Imperial custody. Jaina tried not to panic as her mind raced. She couldn’t deny that they’d saved her life, but they were rebels. The same group of people who were hellbent on destroying the Empire. And now she was lying in one of their medical facilities, helpless and completely at their mercy.

Jaina knew she should be thankful. She was alive and safe, for the time being. But, even though she wasn’t an Imperial any longer, the loyalty that had been literally beaten into her from her first day at the Academy wasn’t so easily broken. These people were the Empire’s sworn enemies, which made them her enemies.

And then there was the matter of her ident card. If they managed to find it, then she might as well kiss any hopes of freedom she had goodbye. There was no way they’d let her go, even if she was able to convince them that she was no longer an Imperial. The information she had would be too valuable for them to not try and exploit.

Jaina grimaced. _Let them try_ , she thought. She knew what it felt like to be tortured and interrogated. Every loyalty officer did. It had been part of their training, teaching them how to extract information by physically putting them through the methods themselves. If she could withstand that, she could certainly withstand anything these rebels could throw at her.

She was deep in thought when the door slid open again. Ahsoka walked in, followed by a green-skinned Twi’lek woman and a human male. He was older, tall, with thinning hair and a deep scowl on his face. Jaina glanced at Ahsoka, wondering what was going on, but her face was completely impassive, giving nothing away. The Twi’lek woman had her arms crossed and was regarding Jaina warily.

“Leave us,” the man said curtly to the doctor. Jaina watched, with some amusement, as she scowled back at him, obviously annoyed. But she didn’t argue and quickly walked out the door, shooting another annoyed look at Ahsoka as she left.

The man turned his attention to Jaina and smirked. “Well, well, well. Had I known we were treating such an important guest, I would’ve come sooner. I hope you can accept my apology.”

Jaina stared at him, trying to keep her face as neutral as she could and said nothing. He pulled something out of his pocket and Jaina's stomach dropped as she realized he was holding her ident card.

“An Imperial loyalty officer,” he continued, looking at the card then back to her. “The Empire’s most loyal servants, dedicated to rooting out corruption and treachery in the Imperial ranks.” His tone was mocking and Jaina fought the urge to sneer at him. “Did I get that right?”

His smirk twisted into a malicious smile and Jaina felt a flicker of fear pass through her. “Since you’re here, let’s have a little chat, shall we?”


	5. Impossible Choice

“If you know who I am, then you know I have nothing to say to you,” Jaina coolly replied. She kept her face impassive, contradicting the anger welling inside her.

The man chuckled. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. The way I see it, you should want to talk to us. Because we’re the only ones who can help you.”

“Help me?” Jaina scoffed. “I don’t need your help. I don’t want your help. There’s nothing in this galaxy you could offer me that would convince me to give you any information.”

“Oh, I know that,” he replied evenly. “I imagine you’d rather die than betray the Empire.”

Jaina said nothing, allowing her silence to confirm his assessment. The Twi’lek handed him a datapad and he walked closer to her bed.

“I’m not interested in the information you may or may not have about the Empire,” he said. “I have other ways of obtaining that. What I am interested in, is what you were doing on Akiva.” Jaina remained silent, so he continued.

“Normally, I wouldn’t have even bothered. Everyone knows corruption runs rampant throughout the Outer Rim, and it would only make sense for a loyalty officer to be called in to investigate. But your timing…it was too perfect.”

He let his last sentence hang in the air, and Jaina suddenly realized what he was getting at. She scowled at him. “I’m not a spy.”

“That was the same conclusion I came to as well,” he replied, glancing back at the Twi’lek and Ahsoka. “No spy would be so stupid as to leave their ID card in a pocket, just begging to be found.”

Anger flared and Jaina's whole body twitched in response. She gritted her teeth through the pain, wanting nothing more than to wrap her hands around his throat. He noticed her reaction and gave her a slight smile.

“And that brings me back to the question of why.” His eyes narrowed. “Why were you on Akiva?”

“That’s none of your business,” Jaina retorted. He shook his head.

“You see that’s where you’re wrong. It is my business. It became my business when you interfered with an ongoing operation, nearly getting my people killed.”

Jaina couldn’t hold back her anger and contempt any longer and sneered at him. “I wasn’t aware of any _rebel_ —” she put a heavy emphasis on the word “—operation. I was only trying to help a friend.”

“Yes, that’s what the debriefing said. But again, it doesn’t explain why you happened to be in the right place at the right time.” He paused, giving her a chance to respond. When she didn’t, he shrugged and continued.

“It wasn’t adding up, so I decided to do some digging. And this is where the story gets interesting.” He tapped on the datapad for a moment. Jaina shot a quick look at Ahsoka and the Twi’lek, but their faces revealed nothing, and she wondered why they were even there.

“Turns out,” he said, finishing what he was doing on the datapad, “you deserted your post over a month ago. Disappeared from Garel, leaving no trace or indication of where you went or why you left. So I dug some more. And what I found only added to my list of questions.

“Your record was impeccable. Awards, commendations…you were one of the top officers the ISB had to offer. All that, achieved at such a young age. You had a great career ahead of you.”

Jaina said nothing and continued to glare at him. He knew far more than she’d expected him to. He held her gaze for a moment, before carrying on.

“Once I learned of your desertion, your presence on Akiva made sense. It’s a backwater world, no one would go looking for you there. It’s the perfect place to hide. Maybe it was just a coincidence you ran into my troops.

“But I’ll be honest. Most deserters have a damn good reason for it. They’re corrupt and their misdeeds have been discovered. They’ve become disillusioned and decide they want something different. Or they discover military life isn’t for them. But with you…nothing in your record leads me to believe any of those reasons apply. Am I wrong?”

He wasn’t wrong. On paper, Jaina didn’t have a good reason to desert. Only she knew the real reason and she wasn’t about to tell him or anyone else what it was. All three of them were looking at her expectantly and she gave him a slight shake of her head.

“I didn’t think so,” he continued. “So why? Why run?”

This was the last thing Jaina wanted to talk about. The wounds had just started to heal and she didn’t feel like opening them back up again. “I already told you,” she said through clenched teeth. “It’s none of your business.”

He sighed and shook his head, then looked to Ahsoka. Ahsoka gave him a short nod and he turned back to Jaina. He tapped on the datapad again, then tossed it to her. Jaina was too slow and too sore to catch it, and it landed on her legs, sending fresh bolts of pain through her body. She glared at him as she reached for it.

And froze when she saw what was on the screen. It was a standard Imperial communique, the kind sent out to every base, outpost, garrison, and ship the Empire had. They usually detailed any important information Imperial Center wished to push out, including information on those who were wanted for desertion. Jaina had seen hundreds of them over the years but had never expected to see her face on one.

Yet there it was. The same picture that was on her ident card, now blown up, covering most of the page. As terrifying as it was seeing herself on the screen, the number of credits the Empire was offering for any information leading to her arrest was even more so. It was clear proof her decision to run was the right one, but why the Empire wanted her so badly was not as clear.

“If you don’t want to talk to us, that’s fine,” the man said evenly. “I never expected you to. But just know, as soon as you’re healed enough, we’re going to turn you back over to the Empire.”

Jaina stared at the datapad, fighting back tears and the urge to scream in frustration. They had her and they knew it. She knew it as well. She couldn’t go back. And she couldn’t tell these people what they wanted to know. She was completely stuck and could see no way out.

“We’re willing to help you, if you’ll let us.” Jaina looked up and realized it was the Twi’lek who’d finally spoken. Her tone was gentle, placating, and Jaina could tell she was being genuine. She shook her head anyway.

“You can’t,” she said angrily. “You’d never understand. Just like the Empire wouldn’t.”

The man shrugged and grabbed the datapad out of her hands. “Then I guess we’re done here.” He turned to go. “I’ll make sure the doc knows you’re a priority, so we can return you to the Empire as soon as possible.”

Jaina glared at his back, frustrated tears burning her eyes. Her mind was waging a war on itself but in the end, her fear of the Inquisitor won out. Whatever these rebels could offer her, regardless of her hatred towards them, it couldn’t be worse than what the Inquisitor had planned for her.

“I had no choice!” Jaina growled. He turned back around. “I had no choice,” she repeated, quieter this time. “I had to leave.”

“Why?” the man asked, crossing his arms.

Jaina hesitated and he narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t answer me right now, I’m going to walk out of this room and your only chance of freedom will be gone. So I’ll ask you again. Why?”

“I couldn’t let them find out,” she said in a small voice.

“Find out about what?” he prompted.

“The real reason I was so good at my job,” Jaina replied, her voice even quieter.

“Which is…?” he asked, with a hint of anticipation in his voice.

Jaina sighed in defeat, the last bit of defiance leaving her. “Let’s just say I have a unique way of getting information out of people.” Ahsoka and the Twi’lek exchanged a look and it didn’t slip past her notice.

“Oh really?” the man said, arching his brow. “And what might that be?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Jaina said ruefully. And it was true. She knew they wouldn’t believe her. They’d think she was either making it up or simply crazy.

“Try me,” he replied with a smirk. Jaina took a deep breath and braced herself.

“I can access the minds of others. See their thoughts.” She kept her voice even and watched their reactions. Ahsoka and the Twi’lek’s were instant—they didn’t even bother to hide their shock, though Ahsoka was quicker to recover. The man, on the other hand, just blankly stared at Jaina for a long moment. Then he erupted in laughter.

“You’re right,” he said, “I don’t believe you. So unless you’d like to offer me any real information, then we are most certainly done here.” He turned to go once more.

Jaina knew he wouldn’t believe her and yet his response triggered something, and she reacted without thinking. Trembling with rage, she bowed her head and closed her eyes. He grunted as she forced her way in, and his mind instantly recoiled. She wanted to make him hurt, make him suffer, and didn’t even care if there was nothing in his mind she could use.

There was a loud thud as he fell to his knees, and Jaina increased the pressure as she sifted through his thoughts. He finally cried out from the pain, and she smiled to herself in satisfaction.

“What’s wrong?” It was the Twi’lek and her alarm was unmistakable.

“I don’t know!” he cried. “Make it stop!”

Jaina wanted to laugh, to ask him if he believed her now, but she stayed silent. And suddenly, there it was. She grimaced as she realized what she was seeing, her rage reaching an even higher level.

“You lied,” Jaina said, her voice shaking with anger. “You have no intention of delivering me back to the Empire.”

She knew he wouldn’t answer; he was in too much pain. It was the Twi’lek who did instead. “What are you talking about?”

“Tell them,” Jaina replied. He didn’t respond and she increased the pressure again, and was rewarded with a pained cry that echoed throughout the room. “Tell them what you planned on doing with me.”

She was thoroughly enjoying herself, but in her already weakened state Jaina knew she wouldn’t be able to hang on much longer. It didn’t matter. She was going to savor this for as long as it lasted. Which, unbeknownst to her, wasn’t going to be much longer.

“That’s enough. Release him.” It was Ahsoka’s voice, right next to her, and ice cold. Jaina gasped in surprise. Her concentration wavered slightly, but she didn’t let him go. “I’m not going to tell you again. Let him go.” There was a quiet fury in her tone that was terrifying and Jaina immediately backed out of his mind.

She opened her eyes and glared at Ahsoka. “He was going to kill me.” She saw a flicker of shock pass over the anger on Ahsoka’s face.

“What do you mean, he was going to kill you?” Ahsoka asked. The man shot Jaina a look that told her if he could kill her right now, he would. And he’d make it as slow and as painful as possible.

“He only wanted everyone, including me, to think he was going to turn me back over to the Empire.” Jaina looked directly at him while she spoke. “But once I was offworld, he was just going to have one of his people kill me and then dump me somewhere the Empire could find me.”

Ahsoka and the Twi’lek stared at him. “Is that true?” the Twi’lek asked angrily. He glared at the three of them.

“You’re going to believe her over me?” he asked indignantly. “She’s an Imperial!”

Ahsoka and the Twi’lek didn’t respond and he looked between them and Jaina, realizing he was now outnumbered. He spat out a curse and quickly left the room without saying another word.

“I’m going to go make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” the Twi’lek said, hurrying after him. Ahsoka nodded her acknowledgment then turned her attention back to Jaina. She crossed her arms and gave her a hard look.

“I’m assuming you don’t believe me either,” Jaina said.

“No, I do,” Ahsoka replied. “I’m more concerned with where you learned how to do that.” Jaina felt her eyebrows raise in surprise. She hadn’t expected that response. But then again, it seemed as though Ahsoka knew exactly what she had been doing.

“I taught myself,” Jaina replied with a small shrug. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. “No, really, I did, I swear. Years ago, when I was in the Academy. I have no idea what it is though, or where it comes from. Which is why…”

“Which is why you ran,” Ahsoka said, finishing her thought. Jaina nodded.

“Do you want to tell me what happened that day?” Ahsoka asked. “What made you decide that was the day you were going to run?”

Jaina looked up at her. There was something about Ahsoka that instantly put her at ease, though she didn’t know why. “In a way,” Jaina said slowly, “you helped me decide.”

“Your dream?” Ahsoka asked. Jaina nodded again. She then proceeded to tell Ahsoka everything about what had happened on Garel, including her dream and her encounters with the Inquisitor. She had just finished when the Twi’lek walked back into the room.

“Well, I managed to convince them to let her stay,” she said, “for now.” She eyed Jaina carefully. “But you have to prove to us that you’re not a threat. That you’re no longer with the Empire. One slip up, one mistake, if they even so much as suspect that you're lying…they will hand you over without a second thought.”

Jaina reluctantly nodded. It looked like she was going to be stuck here for far longer than she had hoped, but at least they weren’t going to turn her over. Or kill her.

“I don’t think we’ve properly met,” the Twi’lek said. “I’m General Syndulla. It was my ship that brought you back here.”

Jaina inclined her head out of respect for her rank. “Jaina. And thank you. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I really do appreciate you not letting me die.” The general inclined her head in return, then looked at Ahsoka. “Well?” she asked her.

“It was an Inquisitor,” Ahsoka replied. The general’s response was the same as Ahsoka’s had been: complete surprise. “They sent an Inquisitor after her.”

“I thought you said they were all dead,” Syndulla replied in disbelief.

“I assumed they were, but we never knew how many were out there,” Ahsoka replied. “We could only guess.”

“Someone must have figured it out then,” Syndulla said. “Or at least suspected what she was doing was connected to it.” Ahsoka nodded in agreement. Jaina watched their exchange, thoroughly confused. Syndulla gave her an impressed look. “You were lucky to get away.”

Jaina nodded, but couldn’t hold her curiosity any longer. “I’m sorry, but what are you talking about? You think what I can do is connected to something else? Like what?”

Syndulla stared at her for a moment, then looked at Ahsoka. “She doesn’t know?” Ahsoka shook her head. “Even more impressive that you’re still alive,” she said, looking back at Jaina. “I’ll let her explain it.” She motioned to Ahsoka, but before Ahsoka could get a word out, the door opened and the doctor strode in, clearly upset.

“Are you done questioning my patient now, so I can do my job, or should I go get lost again?” She glared at Syndulla and Ahsoka, daring them to challenge her. Wisely, neither of them did. Ahsoka gave Jaina an apologetic look.

“I guess my explanation will have to wait. I’ll be back in the morning and we can talk then. Unless,” she looked at the doctor, “the doctor says otherwise.”

The doctor crossed her arms and frowned. “The morning is fine.” Ahsoka inclined her head, and Jaina could feel some of the doctor’s anger start to subside.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Ahsoka told Jaina. Jaina nodded goodbye to both Ahsoka and the general, watching as they exited together.

“Sorry about all that,” the doctor said once they were gone.

“It’s okay,” Jaina replied, suddenly exhausted. Luckily, the doctor didn’t seem to be in the mood for conversation either, and Jaina laid there quietly, watching her work.

She changed Jaina’s bandages, which hurt, a lot, and Jaina was grateful for the extra dose of pain medicine she gave her afterward. Before she left, the doctor explained what she should expect in the coming weeks in regards to her treatment. Jaina listened while half-asleep, her mind wandering back to Akiva.

She thought about what she’d be doing right now if she was still there. She thought about Rowen and how she’d never get the chance to apologize to him. She thought about Brentin, wondering if he’d made it back home to his family. But mostly she thought about how none of this would’ve happened had she just stayed in the bar that night. The doctor finally left, and Jaina drifted off to sleep, dreaming of what could’ve been.

Much to her surprise, Ahsoka kept her promise and was back first thing in the morning. And she’d brought real food with her this time. Jaina’s stomach rumbled as soon as she smelled it. She’d barely touched the ration pack the night before, but now she was ravenous. Ahsoka sat with her while she ate, making small talk until Jaina was finished.

Jaina could feel Ahsoka’s mood instantly turn serious, and she swallowed hard, thinking she was in for another round of questioning.

“What do you know about the Force?” Ahsoka asked, watching her closely. Jaina cocked her head in confusion.

“The Force?” she asked. She thought for a moment but came up with nothing. “I've never heard of it.”

“But you have heard of the Jedi,” Ahsoka said. Jaina nodded.

“I’ve heard the stories,” she replied. “We learned about the Clone Wars in school and at the Academy.” Jaina narrowed her eyes. “We learned about their betrayal of the Republic.”

“Imperial propaganda,” Ahsoka said dismissively. Jaina opened her mouth to argue, but Ahsoka put up a hand, silencing her. “I’m not going to argue with you. Once I’m finished, you might be surprised at how differently you start to see things. Especially when you’re not viewing them through an Imperial lense.”

Jaina frowned. She could tell she’d struck a nerve and decided to push a little further. “I’ve heard some people say the Jedi never existed at all. Just bedtime stories parents made up to scare their kids.”

To her surprise, Ahsoka chuckled. “Oh, they existed all right. I can promise you that. But I’m not here to talk about the Jedi. Though what I have to tell you does involve them, to a certain extent.”

“I’m listening…” Jaina said. She remembered their conversation from the night before and wondered if this had anything to do with that.

“First, there are some things you need to understand,” Ahsoka said. She smiled faintly. “Like what the Force is. I'll try and explain it to you how it was explained to me, many years ago.” She drew in a breath and slowly blew it out.

“The Force is an energy created by all living things. It’s all around us and ties everything in the galaxy together. It flows through everything—you, me, every being, every plant, every animal, every rock or river or ocean, even the stool I’m sitting on and the bed you’re laying in. That is what the Force is. Does that make sense?”

Jaina desperately wanted it to, but she shook her head. “No,” she admitted.

Ahsoka chuckled. “That's okay. It didn't make sense to me either. At least not at first.” She thought for a moment. “Maybe it'll help if I show you what it is. But you have to do exactly as I tell you. No questioning or arguing. Got it?” Jaina nodded.

“Good,” Ahsoka said. “Are you ready?" Jaina nodded again.

“Close your eyes,” Ahsoka told her. Jaina closed them and listened as Ahsoka’s voice took on an almost meditative quality.

“Breathe deeply,” Ahsoka continued. She paused, waiting for Jaina to comply. “Good. Now, I want you to clear your mind of everything. Empty it of any thoughts, doubts, worries, regrets, fears…everything. Release it all, until there is nothing left and your mind is quiet and calm.”

Jaina tried to do what Ahsoka was asking, but it was proving harder than it seemed. It took her some time before her mind was completely empty. When it finally was, Jaina was surprised to find a peaceful, almost euphoric feeling waiting for her. It was as if her mind and body were humming with an energy she could feel around her. It was something she’d never felt before.

“How do you feel?” Ahsoka asked. Jaina smiled. “Peaceful. Calm,” she replied.

“Good,” Ahsoka said. “This is called 'finding your center', or your balance. Where your mind and emotions are calm and steady. Now, _what_ do you feel?” Jaina thought for a moment, trying to find the words to describe it.

“An energy,” she finally answered. “I don't know how to describe it as anything else. I can feel it around me, inside of me. It's like it's constantly moving, flowing.”

“That,” Ahsoka said, “is the Force. When your mind is calm and at peace, when your emotions are balanced like they are now, that is when you will feel it the strongest.” Jaina slowly nodded, finally understanding.

“Since the Force flows through everything you will find it everywhere,” Ahsoka continued, “connecting everything and everyone. Now, I want you to reach out through that same energy that surrounds you, and see if you can find it in anything else.”

Jaina did as Ahsoka instructed and reached out into the energy surrounding her. She found Ahsoka immediately. Not only because she was sitting right next to her, but also because the energy surrounding Ahsoka shown bright, like a blinding light. Jaina reached out further, following the flow of the energy and could feel its presence surrounding hundreds of people.

Not wanting to stop yet, she continued, finding the energy flowing through the stones of the building they were in, the forest that surrounded them, and the animals that lived there. It was an intoxicating and exhilarating feeling, and Jaina drank it all in, never wanting it to end. Eventually, though, it had to. Ahsoka gently placed her hand on Jaina's arm, pulling her back.

“That was incredible,” Jaina breathed as she opened her eyes. Ahsoka smiled at her.

“Do you understand what the Force is now?” Ahsoka asked. Jaina nodded happily. Then a thought crossed her mind and she frowned.

“Is this what General Syndulla was talking about last night when she said what I can do is connected to something?” Ahsoka nodded. Understanding suddenly hit Jaina and her eyes widened. “So what I can do is connected to the Force?” Ahsoka nodded again.

“And now we've come to the second thing you need to understand,” Ahsoka said, her tone far more serious. “Just because the Force flows through every living thing, doesn't mean that every living thing can feel its energy like you just did. It is a rare gift to be able to do that, and very few in the galaxy have that gift. You have it. I have it. The Jedi had it.”

Jaina stared at Ahsoka, trying to process what she was saying as she continued: “This is where the Jedi become relevant to you. Their ability to feel the Force and use it is what made them powerful. And they were killed because of this power.

“The lessons you were taught are wrong. The Jedi weren't killed because they betrayed the Republic. They were killed because the power they possessed through their connection to the Force was a threat to the Emperor’s rule.” A heavy silence fell over the room as Ahsoka let that sink in. Jaina could feel profound anger coming from her and didn’t dare say a word.

Ahsoka took a deep breath. “Palpatine still fears anyone with the same connection to the Force that the Jedi had. It's why he created the Inquisitors after the Clone Wars ended.

“Their sole purpose is to hunt down and kill any remaining Jedi that survived the Purge, as well as any Force-sensitives they find.” Jaina suddenly felt sick as she realized what Ahsoka was saying.

“Like me,” she said quietly. It all made sense now, but the truth of it somehow made the whole situation far more terrifying than it had already been.

“Like you,” Ahsoka agreed. “I'm honestly surprised you survived undetected as long as you did, considering what your job and rank were.”

Jaina said nothing, and Ahsoka sat quietly while Jaina slowly digested everything she’d just been told. She had no idea what to think. Ahsoka had made it perfectly clear that she could never go back to the Empire. But Jaina didn’t want to stay here either. The Empire might want her dead, but that didn’t mean she was automatically going to side with the rebels. She suddenly felt even more alone than she had when she’d arrived on Akiva.

“There is one more thing we need to talk about before I go,” Ahsoka said, startling Jaina out of her thoughts. Jaina looked at her questioningly.

“The ability you have,” Ahsoka said, once she had Jaina’s attention, “to reach into the minds of others…I don’t want you to use it ever again.”

Shock and anger flared inside Jaina. “Why? It’s useful! I proved that last night. You would’ve never known what he was going to do if I hadn’t used it!”

Jaina shook her head defiantly. This was the one thing she had to defend herself with. She didn’t know what the rebels had planned for her. Using it was the only way she could keep them honest and she wasn’t going to let Ahsoka take it away from her that easily.

“For reasons you won’t understand,” Ahsoka said plainly, “at least not yet.”

Jaina shook her head again. “No. I’m not going to just blindly do what you ask. Not without a good reason why I shouldn’t.”

Ahsoka cocked her head slightly. “Yes, you will,” she replied coolly. “Because if you don’t, and I find out that you’ve been using it, I will deliver you to the Inquisitor myself.”

It was a clear threat, delivered with a chilling confidence behind it that sent a shiver up Jaina’s spine. She stared at Ahsoka, who held her gaze, inviting Jaina to challenge her again. This time, Jaina didn’t, and she grunted her acquiescence. Once again, she was stuck, with no other option but to do exactly what the rebels were asking her to.

Ahsoka rose to leave after a long moment. “You might as well get comfortable. You’re not going anywhere for a while.” She gave Jaina a hard look. “Your stay here will be what you make of it. We can help you if you’ll let us. But we need to know we can trust you. And you’ll have to earn that.”

Jaina said nothing and crossed her arms, returning Ahsoka’s look with one of her own. She might not be in a cell or binders, but for all other intents and purposes, she was their prisoner.

Ahsoka walked to the door and paused, turning around to look at Jaina one more time.

“Welcome to the Rebellion,” she said, with a small smile. And with that, Ahsoka turned back around and walked out the door.


	6. Reluctant Interactions

_She fell back into the room and quickly rolled out of the way as the Inquisitor’s red blade came crashing down. Scrambling backward, she realized the only way out was now blocked. She was trapped. The Inquisitor slowly advanced towards her, an evil smile on her face._

_She felt something invisible close around her throat as the Inquisitor reached out with her other hand. She clawed frantically at her neck, but the grip only tightened more. Dropping to her knees, gasping for air, she looked up as the Inquisitor swung the blade down on her…_

“No!” Jaina bolted upright, now wide awake. Another, more strangled, cry escaped her lips, this one from the burning, stabbing pain in her ribs. She collapsed back onto the bed, struggling to breathe through the agony. Waves of nausea rolled through her, and Jaina squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for it to pass. A moment later, she heard the door open and footsteps came rushing in.

“What’s wrong?” The voice sounded alarmed but cautious. Jaina opened her eyes and saw that Emry was standing there, a semi-worried look on her face and her hand resting on her blaster.

“N-nothing,” Jaina managed to get out. The pain was beyond intense, and she closed her eyes again as another wave of nausea struck.

“I heard you yell…” Emry began, then trailed off when she finally seemed to realize how much pain Jaina was in. “Maybe I should go get the doctor.”

Jaina shook her head as best she could. “N-no…no doctor,” she wheezed. “Dream…it…it was a dream. I’m fine.” Emry didn’t seem convinced and stood there as Jaina tried to get a handle on the pain. It felt like an eternity had passed before it finally subsided enough for her to open her eyes again.

Emry was regarding her warily, but Jaina could feel the worry that was lurking beneath her expression. “I’m fine,” Jaina repeated, more clearly this time. “It was just a bad dream.”

Emry finally seemed satisfied and nodded, then turned to go. “They’ve got you on guard duty today?” Jaina asked before she could get out the door. Besides the occasional visit from Ahsoka and her daily visits from the doctor, she’d had no interaction with anyone since she’d arrived. She was craving conversation with someone other than those two.

Emry turned around and narrowed her eyes. “Yeah,” she said slowly. “How’d you know I was on guard duty though, and not just passing by?”

Jaina shrugged. “It’s not exactly a secret I’m being guarded. I see them sitting out there whenever the door opens.”

She didn’t add that she could also feel their contempt at being assigned to guard her. Belatedly, Jaina realized she didn’t feel any of that same contempt from Emry. No, Emry’s emotions seemed to be warring with themselves, with anger and hostility having a slight edge on sympathy.

“I don’t think you have to worry, though,” Jaina continued, giving Emry a slight smile. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Emry didn’t respond. Jaina could sense something was bothering her, so she fell silent and waited. Finally, Emry spoke. “Is it true?” There was no mistaking the anger behind her words.

“Is what true?” Jaina calmly replied. She had a feeling she already knew the answer, but she wanted to give Emry the chance to say whatever it was that was bothering her.

“You’re an Imperial officer?” Emry spat the words out like she’d eaten a bad piece of food.

Jaina hesitated, wondering how she should answer. She had nothing to gain by lying; it would only make Emry more upset, and she needed as many allies as she could get here. Ahsoka said she needed to earn their trust, and as much as she didn’t like it, she would try.

“Yes,” Jaina finally replied. Emry stiffened at the response and her hand twitched towards her blaster.

“Then I should’ve let you die out there,” Emry bit out. Jaina flinched. She knew Emry must have her reasons for her hostility, but having it aimed directly at her hurt more than she’d expected. It was the first time she’d been on the other end of someone’s hatred towards the Empire. And it didn’t feel good.

“I was an Imperial officer,” Jaina corrected herself. “Not anymore.”

“Not since we caught you, you mean,” Emry replied, crossing her arms.

“No,” Jaina said, shaking her head. “I left before I ran into you on Akiva.” She should’ve said _deserted_ but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. “I wasn’t with the Empire then, and I’m not now.”

Emry looked surprised. She stared at Jaina, and Jaina could tell she didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry,” Jaina said sincerely.

“For what?” Emry asked. The anger was starting to drain out of her, although Jaina had a feeling it was about to come rushing back. But she felt the need to say it anyway.

“For whatever the Empire did to make you feel this way,” she replied. She was right. Emry stiffened again and her eyes narrowed as her anger returned. “I know it means nothing, especially coming from me, but I wanted you to know…I truly am sorry.”

Emry glared at her for a long moment, then her face softened slightly. “You’re right. It doesn’t mean anything coming from you. But,” she took a deep breath, “I appreciate you saying it.”

Jaina gave her a small nod and mentally breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the anger start to drain out of Emry again. The pain in her ribs was finally gone and she suddenly felt antsy. She’d lost track of how long she’d been here already—it had to have been at least a week—and she hadn’t been allowed out of the bed yet. The urge to stand up, to move, to walk, was so strong she couldn’t deny it anymore.

Jaina threw the blanket off her legs and sat all the way up, being careful not to jostle her ribs too much. Other than the ribs, everything else had healed, for the most part. She’d have some scarring from the burns and lacerations, but it would be very minor. Emry had started to leave when she noticed what Jaina was doing and immediately turned back around.

“What’re you doing?” she asked warily, her hand hovering over her blaster again.

“What does it look like?” Jaina replied, gingerly swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “Getting up. I can’t take lying here any longer.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Emry said, frowning.

“Me either,” Jaina replied, giving her a small smile. She noticed Emry’s hand still hovering over her blaster and nodded at it. “You can point it at me if it’ll make you feel better. I promise I’m not going to try and escape, but feel free to shoot me if I do.”

Emry said nothing and moved closer to Jaina, her hand now resting on the blaster. Jaina shrugged and, using the bed for support, finally stood up. And instantly learned it was a mistake. Her body was not ready for the sudden change from sitting to standing, and the room spun. Her legs immediately buckled and she started to fall forward, but hands caught her before she hit the floor.

Emry helped her stand back up and didn’t let go of her as she waited for the dizziness to pass. “Thanks,” Jaina said weakly.

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” Emry scolded as she helped Jaina lean against the bed again.

“And you were right,” Jaina replied. The searing pain in her ribs was back and it hurt to breathe but she wasn’t going to be deterred. “I won’t tell the doc if you don’t.” Emry gave her a cross look.

“You should probably lie back down now,” she retorted.

“Yeah,” Jaina said, “I probably should. But…I’m already up. Might as well see if I can walk a few steps.”

Emry looked at her like she was crazy and shook her head. “Don’t worry,” Jaina told her, “the doc isn’t due to come back until later. But if you’re that concerned about getting in trouble, you’re more than welcome to leave.”

Emry hesitated and for a moment Jaina thought she might actually leave. “Fine,” Emry finally huffed. “But don’t expect me to be upset if you get hurt.”

“I won’t,” Jaina replied. “I imagine it might give you some satisfaction to see me in pain.” Emry shrugged in response and Jaina made a mental note to do whatever it took to not hurt herself even more than she already was. Regardless, she was happy Emry decided to stay. It was nice to talk to someone her own age for once, even if Emry didn’t like her.

Emry grudgingly stood next to Jaina, ready to catch her if she fell again, as she inched her way around the bed, using it for support. Her entire body protested the effort, but Jaina didn’t care. She was mobile again and that feeling outweighed the pain that came with it. She crawled back into bed after she’d made it around to the other side, thoroughly exhausted from the effort.

“Thank you,” Jaina said, as Emry started to walk out. “I know you hate me, but I appreciate you putting that aside to help me.”

Emry turned back around. “I don’t hate you,” she said with a sigh. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I shouldn’t have said it.”

“It’s okay,” Jaina replied, shrugging. “You’re angry. I get that.”

Emry nodded. “Still though. You saved my life and I can’t forget that.”

“And you saved mine,” Jaina said. “So I’d say we’re even.”

Emry nodded again. She paused, thinking. “You said you were no longer an Imperial on Akiva, right?”

“Right,” Jaina confirmed. “Why? Do you not believe me?”

“No…I think I do. But there’s something I need to know first,” Emry said. “During the firefight, you were supposed to go first, but you didn’t. Brentin did, and he was able to escape. If you hadn’t traded places with him, we all would’ve died.” Jaina nodded, remembering.

“So, why?” Emry continued. “Why didn’t you go first? Why didn’t you take the opportunity to save yourself?”

“Brentin has a family,” Jaina said quietly. “A wife and a young son. His safety was more important than mine.”

Emry studied her for a long moment before speaking. “Then I believe you. No real Imperial would’ve made that decision.”

Jaina slowly nodded and didn’t say anything. She knew Emry was right. As much as she hated to admit it, if she’d been in the same position only two months ago, she wasn’t sure if she would’ve made the same choice.

Emry seemed satisfied and headed for the door. “If you need anything,” she said as the door slid open, “I’ll be right outside.” And with that, she left.

After that day, whenever Emry was on guard duty, she’d make a point to at least come in and say hello to Jaina. Their interactions were very hesitant at first, and Jaina never pushed the issue of being starved for conversation. She knew if Emry wanted to talk to her, she would, in her own time. And eventually, she did.

As a general, unspoken rule, they steered clear of any talk about their time with the Empire and the Rebellion. Most of the time—especially early on—they spent just getting to know one another. Not one person Jaina had been friendly with during her time with the Empire had ever cared about where she came from and what her family was like, but Emry seemed to. And as guarded as she was, Jaina found Emry easy to talk to and didn’t mind sharing.

Emry was just as guarded, but slowly started opening up as well. Jaina learned she was from a small Mid-Rim world, whose existence would’ve gone unnoticed had it not been for the wealth of minerals lying beneath its service. The Empire had been mining it for years, and Emry’s entire family worked in the mines. Their lives growing up had been vastly different, but they were still able to find more common ground than they thought they would.

Rex would sometimes accompany Emry, and once Jaina learned that he’d fought in the Clone Wars alongside the Jedi, her interest in what he had to say grew significantly. She hadn’t been all that keen to learn more about the Jedi until Rex started telling her stories of the battles he’d fought in, and the crazy, insane things he’d seen them do. It was fascinating to listen to him, and Jaina secretly wondered if she could learn some of those same skills.

She wanted to ask Ahsoka, but her visits were always very brief; usually just long enough to check on Jaina and see how she was doing. Ahsoka had, however, taken the time to teach her how to meditate. And after Jaina had done it a few times, she came to really appreciate it. It helped calm her mind whenever it threatened to spin out of control. But besides that, and the day she’d explained what the Force was and why Jaina’s connection to it was important, Ahsoka hadn’t brought up anything related to it since.

A few weeks after arriving, the doctor finally deemed Jaina healed enough to move out of the hospital room she was in. When General Syndulla came to get her, Jaina had already resigned herself to the fact that she was going to be marched directly into a cell. However, Syndulla surprised her by giving her a small tour of the base they were in—which was far larger than Jaina had expected—and then taking her to one of the rooms on the housing level.

Jaina was even more shocked when Emry opened the door. “Emry has graciously agreed to allow you to stay with her,” Syndulla explained. She then gave Jaina a stern look. “However, there are some rules you’re going to have to follow. Break any of them, and I won’t hesitate to throw you in a cell until we can send you back to the Empire.”

Jaina solemnly nodded and caught Emry giving her a confused look. Apparently, no one had told her Jaina was wanted by the Empire. She shook her head slightly and made a mental note to tell Emry what the general meant by that later.

“First," Syndulla said, "you’re to go nowhere without an escort. It doesn’t matter who it is, but you are not allowed to be anywhere alone. You haven’t earned that privilege yet.” _Yet_. The word echoed in Jaina’s mind and a tiny sliver of hope formed behind it.

“Second, you need to have this comlink on you at all times, in case we need to contact you.” She handed Jaina a comlink and Jaina slipped it into her pocket. “If we do call you, you need to answer.” Jaina nodded again. What the general didn’t say, but what Jaina knew, was that they could track her movements with it as well.

“Other than that,” the general continued, “ you’re free to come and go from your room as you please, so long as you have that escort. Whoever’s with you will let you know what areas are off-limits.”

She regarded Jaina coolly before continuing again. “This is a lot more freedom than some wanted to give you. If it had been up to them, they would’ve thrown you in a cell and been done with it. This is your chance to prove to us that we can trust you.”

Jaina gave her the most sincere look she could. “I appreciate the opportunity. And I won’t let you down.”

“I hope not,” Syndulla replied, and with that, she turned on her heel and left. Emry helped Jaina get settled in, then took her on a more detailed tour of the base, pointing out the areas she wasn’t allowed to go.

“Don’t feel bad,” she told Jaina, as they passed yet another area that was off-limits, “I’m not allowed in the majority of these areas either. Only the higher ranking officers are.”

Jaina idly nodded. She understood that. The Empire had had the same rules in all of the garrisons and ships she’d been in. The Rebellion appeared to be a lot more organized than Jaina had originally thought. They eventually made their way back to the room and Emry left to go to work. She never said what she did, and Jaina knew better than to ask.

There wasn’t much else she could do, so she settled into a long meditation. It was quickly becoming one of her favorite things, mainly because of how she felt after she was done. Her head was always much clearer and she felt at peace. Rowen would’ve been proud of her—she’d finally found another way to deal with her demons that didn’t involve slowly drinking herself to death.

Over the next few weeks, Jaina tried to establish as much of a routine as she could, but it was hard when she couldn’t go anywhere on her own. She spent a lot of time in meditation or scrolling through what little news from around the galaxy Emry could scrounge up for her. When Emry wasn’t working, she was kind enough to accompany Jaina on walks or jogs around the outside of the base, just so she could get out of the room and get some fresh air.

It was on one of these walks, down a new path into the woods they’d discovered, that Jaina finally found out where Emry’s hatred of the Empire stemmed from. The conversation had started out innocently enough.

“Have you spoken to yours recently?” Jaina asked Emry as they walked. She was talking about Emry’s family. The topic had only come up because Jaina had just finished telling her about the dream she’d had the night before, about her own family. She’d woken up feeling more homesick than she had in a very long time.

Emry didn’t answer right away and Jaina felt her mood instantly shift. “No,” she finally said. Her tone was bitter. “I haven’t.”

Jaina wanted to ask why but had a feeling it wasn’t a good idea. They walked a few more steps in silence before Emry spoke again. “My parents died in a mining accident when I was ten. My older brother raised me after that.” She sighed heavily. “There were accidents all the time. It wasn’t like the Empire cared if the working conditions were good or not. All they cared about was how they could squeeze every last drop of effort out of their workers.

“By that point, my brother was old enough to take their place, so he did. Even though I begged him not to. Everything was fine for a few years until another major accident happened. He was lucky to get out alive. After that, the workers started to fight back against the conditions they were forced to work in.”

Jaina snuck a glance at Emry as she talked and could see she looked just as angry as she felt. “Of course,” Emry continued, “the Empire didn’t like that. At first, the protests were calm. But they escalated quickly. One night, my brother didn’t come home when he was supposed to, so I went looking for him. I found him at the mine. He was helping lead one of the protests.” Jaina could detect a hint of pride in her voice, but it quickly changed back to anger.

“The Imperial in charge of the mine issued a warning to the protestors, telling them to leave or they’d be arrested. Of course, no one moved. And without even giving them another chance, without even arresting them like he said he would, he simply gave an order and the troopers fired.” Jaina’s mouth dropped open in shock as Emry stopped walking and turned on her, her hands clenched into fists.

“They killed every one of them, including my brother,” she said angrily, struggling to hold back tears. “Murdered them. I watched the whole thing, too terrified to move, afraid they’d see me and shoot me too.”

Jaina was speechless. She couldn’t wrap her mind around what Emry was telling her. Emry couldn’t be talking about the same Empire she’d worked for, could she? It seemed impossible. She’d never heard of or seen anything like that happen, ever. It had to have been a rogue officer. And he certainly had to have been punished for murdering civilians. The Empire would never let that kind of a crime go unanswered.

“I’m sorry,” Jaina quietly said, after a long silence. Emry was glaring at her and visibly shaking with anger. Jaina held Emry’s gaze, bracing herself for whatever Emry might do in response to the rage pulsing through her. It was so strong it was setting Jaina on edge, but she promised herself she wouldn’t fight back if Emry struck out at her.

For a moment, it seemed like Emry might actually hit her, but then she took a deep breath and steadied herself. “After that, I had no one, so I left the first chance I got. Vowed I’d get revenge on the Empire one way or another. And here I am.”

Jaina nodded. Emry had finally stopped shaking and Jaina could feel some of the anger leaving her. Emry took another deep breath. “Now you know why I had the reaction I did when I found out you were an Imperial.”

“If that had happened to me, I would’ve had the same reaction,” Jaina said sympathetically. “I’m really, really sorry that happened to you.”

Emry turned and started walking again and Jaina fell into step beside her. “It’s not just me,” Emry said. “Ask anyone here, and the majority will tell you a similar story. For most of us…this fight is personal.”

Jaina said nothing and they walked on in silence. She believed that every word of what Emry told her was true, but she was still having a hard time comprehending the why of it. And if there were more stories like hers…Jaina shuddered. She wasn’t ready to believe the Empire was as bad as Emry was saying, but she couldn’t deny what she’d heard.

“What about you?” Emry asked after a while. They’d made a wide loop and were heading back in the general direction of the base.

“Hmm?” Jaina said, pulling herself out of her thoughts. “What do you mean?”

“Have you spoken to your family recently?” Emry replied. “I mean, before you got blown up and ended up here.” She gave Jaina a small smile.

Jaina frowned and immediately wanted to change the subject. Just like Emry hadn’t told her the specifics of what had happened to her family, Jaina hadn’t shared any of the finer details of hers. But, her issues with her mother and father paled in comparison to what had happened to Emry. And if Emry could share that painful memory with her, then she could at least share hers.

“No,” Jaina said stiffly, “I haven’t. I…uh…actually haven’t spoken to them since I was sixteen.”

Emry stopped walking again and gawked at her. “You, what?” The disbelief in her voice made Jaina feel even more guilty. “Like, you weren’t allowed to? The Empire didn’t let you or something?”

“No…” Jaina said slowly. She could feel her face starting to turn red. “It was, umm, my choice.” She turned to start walking again but Emry grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Nope,” she said, shaking her head, “you’re not going anywhere until you tell me why.”

Jaina sighed. “They were adamantly against me joining. They hated the Empire, though they never seemed to be able to come up with a good reason why. Rather than support me, like you’d think any parent would do, especially considering I was their only child…my father picked a fight as I was getting ready to board the shuttle to go to Coruscant.

“I was so angry with them that day…” Jaina trailed off as the memory came rushing back. “I said some things I never should’ve. I regretted it the instant the shuttle took off, but there wasn’t anything I could’ve done about it by that point. Once I got to Coruscant, I kept meaning to call them, to at least let them know I was okay, but I’d always find an excuse not to. Eventually…I just stopped making excuses. Figured they probably wouldn’t want to talk to me anyway.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Emry said, frowning. “Like you said, you were their only child. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t want to hear from you.”

Jaina idly nodded. She’d had this argument over and over again in her head, but her reasons and excuses for why she hadn’t reached out always seemed childish and immature. Telling Emry about it confirmed that they were, indeed, just that.

“I bet if we talked to General Syndulla, she might be able to figure out a way for you to get in contact with them,” Emry said thoughtfully. Jaina didn’t answer, and she quickly added, “I mean, if you’d want to, that is.”

Jaina shook her head. “I can’t now. Not with the Empire looking for me. It’d just put them in danger. I’m sure Mandalore was the first place they checked after I disappeared. And besides,” she sighed heavily, “I don’t even know if they’re still alive.”

Emry frowned but didn’t say anything. She knew Jaina was right. They continued walking in silence, both of them lost in thought. As they gradually made their way back to the base, Jaina could sense there’d been a shift in the nature of their relationship.

Up until this point, they’d been friendly with each other, but also guarded. The invisible wall that had been between them, automatically put there by the Empire and the Rebellion, had slowly started to crumble the more they got to know each other. After the conversation they’d just had, Jaina could tell that the wall was now completely gone. Any subtle hostility she used to feel in Emry had also vanished.

The last thing Jaina had expected to find while she was here was a friend, but she wasn’t upset that it’d happened. And the fact that Emry had been willing to put aside her loathing and give her a chance, meant more to Jaina than Emry would ever know.

They headed straight to the mess hall once they got back, trading stories of the most embarrassing things their parents had done to them while they ate. Jaina hadn’t laughed that much since leaving Akiva and she could’ve stayed there all night had Emry not gotten called into work.

After Emry dropped her off in the room, Jaina showered and crawled into bed. Sleep was elusive, however, and she laid awake for a long time, thinking about what Emry had told her. If Emry was right, and a lot of the people here had similar stories to hers, then what had been the point of Jaina's job?

Loyalty officers were supposed to be the safeguard against corruption in the ranks, ensuring that no one strayed too far out of line. Jaina knew there was always a shortage—which was why she stayed so busy—but if things like what had happened to Emry’s brother were happening all over the Empire, then she should’ve heard about it. Been called in to investigate it, at least. But she’d heard nothing.

The more Jaina thought about it, the fewer answers she had, and the angrier she got. She tossed and turned for hours, unable to shut her mind off. Sleep came eventually, and when it did, it was filled with dreams of faceless stormtroopers, gunning down her mother and father while she helplessly watched…


	7. Calamitous Beginning

The door chimed while Jaina was lying on her bed, reading the latest batch of news Emry had brought her. The situation in the galaxy seemed to be growing grimmer by the day, with the rebels stepping up their attacks and the Empire retaliating on worlds known to sympathize with them.

“It’s open” she called, not bothering to look up from the datapad. The door slid open and Jaina quickly sat up when she saw who it was.

“Ahsoka,” she said, surprised. Jaina hadn’t seen her in weeks and was beginning to think Ahsoka had forgotten about her. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Sorry I haven’t stopped by in a while,” Ahsoka said, looking around the room. “I’ve been offworld, attending to some business.” Jaina knew she had to be vague, but for some reason, it still irked her.

“It’s okay,” she replied, as nonchalantly as she could. Ahsoka owed her nothing and yet, Jaina still felt like she should’ve at least said something if she wasn’t going to be around for a while. Especially since she was the only one Jaina could go to if she had questions about the Force. Which she did. A lot of them.

“How’s everything going?” Ahsoka asked, eyeing her closely. Jaina shrugged.

“Fine,” she replied. “I’ve been following their rules…and yours. It’s annoying not being able to go anywhere alone, but other than that, it’s fine.”

“Well, perhaps that will change soon,” Ahsoka said. “Let’s take a walk.”

“Gladly,” Jaina said, tossing the datapad onto the bed and standing up. She eagerly followed Ahsoka out of the room and into the hall. Emry had been working long hours for the last week or so and Rex seemed to always be busy as well, so she hadn’t gotten out of the room as much as she would’ve liked.

They wound their way through the maze of hallways, chatting about what Jaina had been up to while Ahsoka was gone. Ahsoka seemed pleased that she’d become friends with Emry, and wasn’t completely hating her time here. It wasn’t until they’d gotten halfway across one of the landing pads that Jaina figured out the real reason Ahsoka wanted to talk to her.

“Rex tells me you’ve been asking about the Jedi a lot,” Ahsoka said, as they headed towards the forest. Jaina made a face. She should’ve assumed he’d tell Ahsoka what they talked about, but still.

“Yeah,” she replied. She wasn’t going to deny it. “I have. He enjoys telling war stories, and I like hearing them. Especially the ones about the Jedi he served with.” She gave Ahsoka a knowing look and saw her purse her lips in response.

“Is that so?” Ahsoka said. “What kinds of things has he told you about?”

“Mainly their heroics,” Jaina replied. “How defeat would look certain, then somehow, they’d manage to eke out a victory.” She smirked. “And that it would usually only happen when one of you would come up with some insane plan that should never have worked, but always did.”

It was Ahsoka’s turn to smirk—she’d caught what Jaina had said. “Yes, that did tend to happen.”

They’d reached the forest and Jaina took them down one of her favorite paths. “I’ll be honest,” Jaina said, “it’s fascinating listening to him describe what the Jedi could do. How they were able to use the Force. The things they could do because of it.”

Ahsoka nodded slightly. “I can see why that would be of interest to you.”

“It got me thinking,” Jaina continued, “if the Jedi hadn’t been wiped out, what would’ve happened to me?”

“I suppose you would've been identified as Force-sensitive,” Ahsoka said, after a long moment, “most likely while you were still very young, and taken to the Temple on Coruscant to be trained.”

Jaina slowly nodded. “Like you were?” She chanced a glance at Ahsoka and saw a ghost of a smile on her face.

“Yes,” Ahsoka replied, “like I was.”

“How old were you?” Jaina asked. “Do you remember?”

“Three,” she replied, then quickly added, “I think.” She gave Jaina a small smile.

Jaina thought about that for a moment while they walked. Three was awfully young to be taken away from your home. “What happened after that? After they came and got you?”

“The same thing that happened to all the younglings that were brought to there,” Ahsoka replied. “We began our training immediately.”

“Were you ever allowed to go back home?” Jaina asked. “Visit your family?”

Ahsoka shook her head. “No. The Order became our family.” She sighed. “I don’t really remember anything about my life before the Jedi. I was too young. The Order was the only thing I knew…for a very, very long time.”

There was a hint of bitterness in her voice. Jaina couldn’t help but wonder if she regretted being pulled away from her home, without having any say in the matter. Her mind drifted, and Jaina found herself thinking about how different her life might have been, had the purge not happened. It was an interesting fantasy. It certainly couldn’t have been any worse than her life was now. At least she would’ve been around others who were just like her. She wouldn’t feel completely alone.

Jaina was so lost in thought that she lost track of where they were. It wasn’t until the trees began to thin and they emerged into a clearing, that she realized how far they’d walked. On the other side of the clearing was a sharp drop-off, and off in the distance, she could see the base.

They walked to the edge of the cliff, both of them admiring the view. The sun was setting, casting its evening light over everything. They were far enough away that the sound of the starfighters taking off and landing wasn’t loud enough to drown out the sound of the forest, which was alive with all the creatures Jaina couldn’t see, but could feel through the Force. It was as beautiful as it was peaceful.

“What’s wrong?” Ahsoka quietly asked. She saw Jaina’s confused look and chided: “You might be able to fool the others, but not me. I know something’s bothering you and I want to know what it is.”

Jaina turned her attention back to the view and frowned, wondering how Ahsoka knew. She hadn’t said anything to anyone, not even Emry. A sideways glance at Ahsoka told her she wasn’t going to let it go, and Jaina sighed.

“I feel…lost.” She paused, trying to think of the best way she could explain it. “Like I don’t know who I am anymore. I used to. I used to know exactly who I was…what I wanted…what my future was going to look like.” She shook her head. “Then everything changed. Now, the people I thought I could trust want me dead. The people I used to think of as enemies, are friends. And to top it all off, I find out I have this special connection to a mystical energy source that I can’t even begin to understand.”

Jaina sighed again and her voice got quieter. “Maybe on some level I’ve always known it was there. But now that I’m aware of it, I can’t ignore it. I feel it everywhere, all the time. Around me…inside me. I have no idea what to do with it. And…it scares me.”

There. She’d finally said it. Admitting she was afraid wasn’t something Jaina did very often, but the Force terrified her. And now that she finally admitted it, she felt much better. She hadn’t realized how much it had been weighing her down. Ahsoka was watching her with the same impassive look she always had, which Jaina had come to realize meant she was thinking about something.

“You’ve been through quite a lot of changes in the last few months,” Ahsoka said, finally breaking the silence. “Believe it or not, I understand how you feel. At least when it comes to that.” Her face hardened. “I know what it’s like to have your life turned upside down. To have everything you’ve ever known ripped away from you.”

Jaina nodded. She assumed Ahsoka was talking about the purge, but she wasn’t about to ask. “As for the Force,” Ahsoka continued, “well, that’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you today.”

“What was the other reason?” Jaina asked.

“We’ve already discussed it,” Ahsoka replied. “I wanted to see how you were doing. And I appreciate you being honest with me about it.”

Jaina chuckled slightly. “You would’ve known if I was lying, so there was no point in even trying it.” Ahsoka gave her a small smile in response. “So, what is it you want to talk about with the Force?”

“First, we need to discuss the Inquisitor,” Ahsoka said, her voice now deadly serious. “I’ve dealt with them in the past, and I know from experience that she’ll never stop searching for you. You’re too valuable to her, and her master. That’s why she let you live.”

A million questions popped into her mind, but Jaina held her tongue and listened quietly as Ahsoka continued. “There will come a time when she’s going to catch up to you. You won’t be able to hide from her forever. Eventually…you’ll have to face her.”

Jaina’s heart sank. She’d already come to the same conclusion, but having it confirmed by Ahsoka did little to comfort her. “Then I might as well turn myself over to her right now,” she mumbled. Ahsoka shot her a look and Jaina shrugged. “It’s true. I don’t stand a chance against her, and you know it.”

“No, you don’t,” Ahsoka agreed. “At least…not right now.”

Jaina’s shoulders slumped, but then Ahsoka’s words finally registered and she looked up at her, slightly stunned. “You mean…?” She wasn’t sure if Ahsoka was suggesting what she thought she was, and she didn’t want to say it out loud, for fear she might be wrong.

Ahsoka nodded. “You shouldn’t be fearful of your connection to the Force. I can help you to understand it, to learn how to use it…if you’re willing.”

“Yes!” Jaina said, a bit more enthusiastically than she intended. “Yes…I’m willing. And you’ll help me be ready for when I have to face the Inquisitor?”

Ahsoka nodded again. “How ready you’ll be, however, will be entirely up to you. I can teach you what I know, but it’s up to you to learn and apply it. And it isn’t going to be easy. You’re going to be tested, in more ways than you can possibly imagine.”

Jaina solemnly nodded. “I’m ready.”

“We’ll see,” Ahsoka replied with a faint smile. “Now, I think I owe you an explanation. And it can serve as your first lesson.” Jaina shot her a questioning look. “When I forbade you from using the ability you have, what was the reason I gave you?”

Jaina frowned. “You didn’t give me a reason. You said I wouldn’t understand it. Not yet.”

“Would you like to understand it?” Ahsoka asked. Jaina nodded and listened closely as Ahsoka launched into a long lecture about the nature of the Force and the dueling sides of it, the light and the dark.

Usually, when Jaina had to listen to someone lecture for a long time, she’d lose interest rather quickly, but that wasn’t the case with Ahsoka. Ahsoka had a way of explaining things that made sense to her, and she allowed Jaina to ask as many questions as she wanted, patiently answering them all. The instructors at both academies she’d been to had never done that. It was refreshing to know Ahsoka cared enough to want her to understand what she was teaching her.

And by the time Ahsoka had finished, Jaina did, indeed, understand. She’d already promised Ahsoka she wouldn’t use it, but knowing why she shouldn’t made Jaina more determined to actually keep that promise. They left the overlook long after darkness had fallen, and Jaina’s head felt clearer than it had in months.

Ahsoka came and got her first thing the next morning. After a quick breakfast together, they walked to one of the training rooms that was tucked away deep in the bowels of the main structure of the base. Ahsoka didn’t waste any time, and Jaina spent the rest of the day just trying to keep up with all the information Ahsoka threw at her. It was overwhelming, exhausting, and completely exhilarating, and she fell into bed excited for the next day.

The end of that first day also brought some good news: Jaina was no longer required to have an escort with her whenever she left the room. She’d dreamt of what she would do first, once that restriction was lifted, but when it finally happened, all she could think about was her lessons. Her life felt like it had meaning again, a purpose—something Jaina didn’t think she’d ever get back.

The days blended together as Jaina finally fell into a routine. She’d get up, eat, meet Ahsoka for the day’s lesson, and spend hours learning whatever Ahsoka wanted to teach her. Some days they’d spend in the training room, some they’d spend outside in the woods, and others were spent at the overlook they’d found. Ahsoka always seemed to sense when Jaina needed a change of scenery.

She also made sure the lessons kept Jaina engaged, and changed them up frequently. One day might be spent learning how to use the Force to enhance Jaina's strength, speed, and reflexes. Another might be spent in meditation, learning how to connect with it in deeper ways. And another she might spend sitting quietly on the floor of the training room, reaching out through the Force, trying to locate different objects Ahsoka had placed around the room.

No matter what the day’s lesson entailed, the outcome was always the same. After they were finished, Jaina would head back to her room, mentally and physically exhausted, but happy. Even Emry noticed the change in her mood, although they were spending a lot less time together now that Ahsoka kept Jaina busy all day. They’d still make a point to go on a walk or a jog whenever they could, but it wasn’t as often as either of them would’ve liked.

They had grown a lot closer over the last month, which wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Other than the fact that Jaina was beginning to find it difficult to focus on anything besides Emry whenever she was around. It had made trying to meditate in their room nearly impossible. Which was why, for the last week, she had begun meditating at the overlook.

She was on her way there, having just finished her lesson with Ahsoka, when Jaina heard Emry call her name. She winced and pretended not to hear her, and quickened her pace a little. Ahsoka’s lesson had left Jaina's head swimming and she just wanted to get up to the overlook and sit in peaceful solitude for a while.

“Hey Jaina, wait up!” Emry called again, more insistently this time. Jaina made a face and slowed to a stop, the urge to find out what Emry wanted having quickly overpowered the need to be alone. She turned and saw Emry jogging—well, more like running—towards her.

Emry slowed as she caught up to her, slightly out of breath. Jaina idly wondered how long she had been trying to catch her. “Where are you going?” Emry asked.

Jaina hesitated. She hadn't told anyone about the overlook. Only Ahsoka knew where it was and Jaina preferred to keep it that way. “Into the forest,” she finally said.

“To meditate?” Emry asked. Jaina frowned and Emry quickly explained, “I noticed you haven't been meditating in our room anymore, so I assumed you've been going to the woods.” Jaina’s frown deepened. She didn’t think her avoidance of their room over the last week had been obvious, but apparently, it had.

“Yes, to meditate,” she replied. “There’s…fewer distractions there.” She didn’t want to tell Emry the real reason she no longer meditated in their room, but as soon as those words slipped out, she mentally cringed.

“I see,” Emry said slowly, giving her a funny look. Jaina’s face burned hot and she hoped Emry would change the subject. A smile tugged at the edge of Emry’s lips as she noted Jaina’s embarrassment. “Well, do you mind if I join you, just this once?”

Embarrassment quickly turned to surprise and Jaina stared at her. Emry had seen her in meditation numerous times, but she’d never expressed any interest in joining her. And—now that Jaina was thinking about it—she wasn’t even sure if Emry could meditate the same way she did. As far as she knew, Emry wasn’t Force-sensitive at all.

Still, Emry’s intentions seemed to be genuine. And it might be good for her to see if she could successfully do it while Emry was with her.

“It's not going to be very exciting,” Jaina finally said with a shrug.

“I know,” Emry said. She sighed. “I just can't be inside right now. Everyone is too on edge.”

Jaina nodded. She had sensed a shift in the overall mood of the base in the last couple of days. She knew something big had happened—she and Ahsoka had been at the overlook two days ago and had watched as seemingly every last starfighter the rebels had, take off—and ever since then the base had been a hive of activity.

“I noticed,” Jaina replied. She kept her tone nonchalant. She knew Emry couldn’t and wouldn’t tell her what was going on. “Well, I don’t mind if you join me.”

“Are you sure?” Emry asked as they started walking again. “I swear I won’t be a distraction.” Jaina shot her a look and saw she was grinning.

“That’s not what I meant,” Jaina replied, rolling her eyes.

“Uh-huh,” Emry said, grinning even wider, “sure.” Jaina shook her head in mock frustration. “So, where are we going?” Emry asked.

“You’ll see,” Jaina simply replied. Emry’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh, so is this where the ex-Imperial takes the rebel deep into the woods and kills her, finally exacting her revenge?” Jaina’s eyebrows shot up and she looked at Emry, stunned.

“What?” she said in disbelief. “No! Where did you even—” she abruptly stopped when she saw Emry struggling to contain her laughter. “Oh.” Jaina scowled at her. “Not funny.”

The laugh Emry had been holding in finally escaped. “You should’ve seen your face,” she said. Jaina continued to scowl at her and she playfully nudged Jaina’s arm. “Oh come on, it was just a joke. I know you’d never hurt me.” She suddenly stopped walking. “At least…I don’t think you would.”

The amusement in Emry's voice was instantly gone, replaced by fear. Jaina turned and looked her straight in the eye, putting as much conviction in her words as she could. “No. I wouldn’t.” Emry’s eyes searched her face, and Jaina could see the alarm behind them.

“Besides,” Jaina continued, as casually as she could, “it’d be the other way around. You have far more reason to kill me.” She gave Emry a small smile. “Is that why you wanted to come with me today?”

It was Emry’s turn to look shocked and she quickly shook her head. “No, of course not! I wouldn’t hurt you either. I just—” She looked away, and Jaina could see her face turning red. “I’ve barely seen you all week and I just…wanted to spend some time with you.”

Her last words had rushed out so fast that it took Jaina a moment to understand what she’d said. A smile lit up her face once she did. “Well, I’m sure watching me meditate wasn’t exactly what you had in mind.”

“Beats sitting in the room by myself,” Emry replied. Her face was still red, but she was smiling. “Maybe you can teach me how you do it?”

Jaina chuckled and they started walking again. “I don’t know about that. I feel like I still have no idea what I’m doing.”

They chatted about what Jaina's last week of lessons had been like as they walked. Jaina had found out early on that the Force wasn’t a foreign concept to Emry like it had been to her. Emry had told her that a lot of people in the Rebellion believed in it, and she had been taught of its existence when she was growing up.

Of course, Emry had never believed it was real. She just assumed it was something religious zealots had made up to make themselves feel better about their lives. Until Akiva, that is. She’d told Jaina that Rex had pulled her aside after they’d gotten back, and explained what it was that she saw. After that, Emry said she couldn’t deny its existence any longer, because she couldn’t come up with another explanation for what Jaina had done.

The trees eventually began to thin, and as they emerged into the clearing, Emry let out a low whistle. “This is where you’ve been coming?” she asked. Jaina nodded. “It's beautiful.”

“I know,” Jaina replied. She walked closer to the edge of the cliff and Emry joined her. For a moment, neither of them spoke as they admired the view. “No one but Ahsoka knows about it, and I'd like to keep it that way.”

“I won't tell anyone, I promise,” Emry said, getting the hint. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Jaina smiled at her then walked back from the edge a few meters. She wasn’t a huge fan of heights in general, and Ahsoka had cautioned her about choosing where she meditated carefully. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out why. Spending time deep in meditation left her exposed, vulnerable to almost any threat. Including an accidental fall.

She sat cross-legged on the ground, facing away from the forest, and motioned for Emry to join her. “Okay, so how do I do this?” Emry asked as she sat down next to her, mimicking Jaina’s posture. Jaina quickly went over the basics of what Ahsoka had taught her, as best she could, hoping she was making sense. Judging by the look on Emry’s face, she was being as clear as mud.

“So, basically, I just sit here and breathe deeply and try not to think about anything?” Emry said, after Jaina was done explaining.

“Pretty much,” Jaina said, chuckling. “I know it sounds weird. But, at least for me, it works.”

“Yeah, but you can feel the Force and I can’t,” Emry replied. “That probably has something to do with it.”

“True,” Jaina said. “But it still flows through you, even though you can’t feel it.” Emry gave her a skeptical look. “Trust me, it does.” Jaina smiled at her and Emry shrugged.

“If you say so. I guess if it doesn’t work I can always sit here and enjoy this view for a while.” She returned Jaina's smile. “Thanks again, for letting me tag along.”

“You’re welcome,” Jaina replied cheerfully. “Are you ready?” Emry nodded and Jaina took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Having Emry so close to her was as much of a distraction as she thought it would be, but once Jaina started to feel Emry relax, she did as well. The outside world slowly began to fade as she cleared her mind, and it wasn’t long before it had faded entirely, leaving just her and the Force.

Lately, Ahsoka had been teaching Jaina to reach deeper and deeper during her meditations. To completely open herself up to the Force, and allow it to show her anything it might wish to. Ahsoka had explained these insights would most likely come in the form of visions, but so far, she’d received none. Jaina sank deeper and deeper into the energy around her. It was like a current, pulling her along, and she didn’t try to resist its flow.

Without warning, a massive wave of fear crashed into her, interrupting the current. It was so strong it took her breath away and she gasped. The fear was quickly followed by a new, more awful sensation, one Jaina had never felt before. It felt as if a gaping wound had been opened in the Force—it was so powerful that it completely overwhelmed her.

In response, Jaina's mind ripped itself out of meditation, and back to the present. Her body, unable to figure out what was going on, rebelled on her. Crippling nausea struck, and Jaina pitched forward onto her hands and knees and was violently sick. She heard Emry next to her, heard the panic in her voice as she asked her what was wrong.

“Ahsoka…” Jaina said weakly. She needed Emry to get Ahsoka. “Get Ahs—“ she started to say as she tried to stand up, but the world immediately spun and she fell.

The last thing Jaina saw before she passed out, was Emry rushing to catch her before she hit the ground.


	8. Unwanted Change

Jaina's eyelids fluttered open, and she realized she was flat on her back. Ahsoka’s worried face was staring down at her. “Ahsoka,” she said weakly.

“I know,” Ahsoka quickly replied. “I felt it too.” Jaina groaned and squeezed her eyes shut again. Her head was pounding, and the nausea had suddenly come roaring back. She fought the urge to get sick and waited for the nausea to pass.

“Is she okay?” It was Emry’s voice, and Jaina internally cringed at how worried she sounded. She wanted to answer, to open her eyes and tell her she was fine, but Jaina knew if she even tried she’d be sick.

“Yes, she’ll be fine,” Ahsoka answered for her. “She just needs a minute.”

She heard rapid footsteps approaching them. “That was the Senator. They need me in the briefing room immediately.” It was General Syndulla’s voice and it sounded even more concerned than Emry’s.

“Go,” Ahsoka said. “I’ll make sure they get back okay. I’ll find you once I return.”

Jaina listened as the general’s footsteps faded. The nausea was finally beginning to recede, but the throbbing in her head was still there. She chanced opening her eyes again and saw that Emry had joined Ahsoka by her side. She gave them both a weak smile.

“Emry said you were meditating,” Ahsoka said. “Is that when you felt it?” Jaina nodded. She could still feel the ripples in the Force from whatever had happened. She slowly sat up, with a little help from Emry and Ahsoka.

“What was that?” Jaina asked. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Ahsoka replied, shaking her head. The faraway look in her eyes and her grim tone worried Jaina. It was obvious there was more to it than Ahsoka was saying.

“I've never felt anything like that before,” Jaina said. “It was terrible.”

“No, you wouldn’t have,” Ahsoka said. “I’ve only felt something like it once.”

Jaina looked at her, her eyes pleading for answers. “Ahsoka…what was it?” She could tell Ahsoka was trying to decide if she should tell her or not. “Please,” she tried again, “I need to understand.”

Ahsoka pursed her lips as she considered Jaina’s plea. Finally, she sighed. “Death. What you felt was death. And a lot of it, based on how strong it came through the Force.”

Jaina’s eyes went wide, and she saw her expression mirrored on Emry’s face. They stared at each other as Jaina tried to process that information. A chill crawled up her spine as she slowly realized what she had felt was the deaths of many people, all at once. She had no idea what could cause such a catastrophic event, and she didn't think she wanted to know.

“Can you stand?” Ahsoka asked. “We should get back.”

There was a worrying urgency to her voice, and Jaina nodded. Ahsoka and Emry helped her up, and the three of them slowly made their way off the overlook. Once they reached the base, Ahsoka hurried off to go find General Syndulla.

Emry stayed with Jaina as they headed back to their room. Jaina could feel the worry rolling off of her as they walked. She hadn't said two words since they’d left the overlook, and was walking like she was in a trance.

“I guess it's a good thing you came with me today,” Jaina said, as lightly as she could. She gently nudged Emry's arm to try and snap her out of it.

Emry jumped slightly and glanced at Jaina as if just remembering she was there. “What? Oh…yeah, I guess so,” she replied, frowning. They walked a few more steps in silence before Jaina tried again.

“Emry, I'm okay,” she said quietly. Emry stopped walking and rounded on her.

“You scared the hell out of me." Her voice was a mix of anger and worry. “I had no idea what was wrong. One minute you were fine, and then the next…”

Jaina watched her eyes glaze over and knew she was reliving what happened. She grabbed Emry by the shoulders, forcing her to look at her.

“I know, and I'm sorry,” Jaina said. “It’s not like I knew that was going to happen. I had no idea—” She shuddered, reliving it again, herself. “It scared me too.”

Emry’s face softened and she sighed. “I imagine feeling that…all those deaths…was terrifying.” Jaina nodded, then winced. Her head was still pounding. Emry saw her reaction and gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Jaina replied. “My head just hurts. Usually, I come out of meditation slowly. Today…not so much. Guess my brain didn’t like that.” She gave Emry a wan smile.

Emry didn’t seem to appreciate her attempt at humor and frowned. “Maybe you should go see the doctor. Just in case.”

Jaina gingerly shook her head. “I promise you, I’m fine. I just need to go lie down for a while.”

Emry studied her for a moment before finally nodding. “Okay, if you say so. I’m staying with you though, just to be sure.”

Jaina wasn’t about to argue with her, and they began walking again. “I guess we’re no longer even,” Jaina said. “Thanks for not letting me fall off the cliff.”

“You’re welcome.” She gave Jaina a wry smile. “Although no one would’ve blamed me had you ‘accidentally’ fallen to your death.”

Jaina looked at her, pretending to be hurt. “And here I was, thinking you’d meant what you said earlier, about not hurting me. Guess that’s the last time I go into the woods alone with you.”

Emry shrugged, but she was now smiling. The worry Jaina felt from her was fading fast, and she was happy to see her friend had some of her sense of humor back. They’d almost made it to the turbolifts when Emry's comlink chimed. She made a face, and Jaina waited as she stepped away to answer it. She came back less than a minute later, a troubled look on her face.

“Something's come up and I have to go to work,” she said.

“Right now?” Jaina asked, disappointment creeping into her voice. “I thought it was your day off.”

“It was supposed to be,” Emry replied. Jaina noticed she sounded just as disappointed as she felt. “I think—” she stopped and hesitated.

“You think what?” Jaina asked, raising an eyebrow. Emry glanced around nervously and a memory flashed through Jaina’s mind—the last time she’d seen Emry this anxious was that night in the cantina on Akiva.

“I think…whatever’s going on has something to do with what you felt earlier,” she finally replied in a low voice.

Jaina slowly nodded. She’d had the same thought. “I know you can’t say any more, and I won’t ask you to. Just be careful.”

“I will,” Emry replied. She still looked uneasy. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay being alone? What if you, I don’t know, hurt your brain or something.”

Jaina almost laughed, before realizing that Emry was being serious. “I’ll be okay, I promise. It’s just a headache. It’ll go away.”

Emry still didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue. “All right. Call me if you need anything though?”

Jaina nodded, even though both of them knew she wouldn’t. Once Emry was at work, she was unreachable. But Jaina appreciated the gesture. Emry hesitated for another few seconds, then took off at a jog in the direction they had come from. Jaina watched her for a moment, before heading straight to their room.

After a quick shower, she collapsed into bed. The hot water had done nothing to alleviate the pounding in her head, and it took her a long time to fall asleep. Once she did, it was filled with dreams of death. The deaths of people she didn't know, and people she did. She watched the people she cared about, die, over and over again, completely powerless to stop it.

When Jaina finally woke up late the next day, she could tell something had drastically changed. The pounding in her head was gone, but her skin was now crawling with anxiety. It wasn’t her own, however. It seemed to be coming from everyone inside the base. The air was thick with it and it instantly set her on edge.

It didn’t help that when Jaina looked over at Emry’s side of the room, she noticed she wasn't there. In fact, her bed looked like it hadn't been slept in at all. Emry sometimes worked odd hours, but she had never been out all night before. Worry was beginning to turn into full-blown panic, helped along by everyone else’s anxiety, and she quickly dressed. She needed to find out what was going on.

Her panic only increased as she stepped off the lift onto the lower levels. She hadn't seen the base this active ever. The tension and anxiety were even thicker down here, the stress evident on everyone's faces as they ran past her. Jaina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shutting everything else out for a moment, hoping she could locate Ahsoka’s presence in the chaos.

Mercifully, she did and set off at a quick pace towards her. She found her in one of the hangar bays, engaged in an intense discussion with General Syndulla. She hung back, not wanting to interrupt them. As soon as Ahsoka realized she was standing there, she waved Jaina over.

“I was just about to come and get you,” she said, once Jaina had joined them. “Go grab your things. We're leaving.”

Jaina stared at her for a few seconds, not sure she’d heard her right. “We're…what? Leaving? Why?” Her voice began to rise as she fought to control her panic.

Neither Ahsoka nor General Syndulla seemed to want to offer any insight, so Jaina crossed her arms and glared at them. She had no intention of going anywhere until she got some answers. Much to her surprise, it was General Syndulla who finally answered her.

“The Empire has found us,” she said flatly. “They're on their way. We're starting evacuations now, while we still have the chance.”

Jaina blankly looked at her, trying to comprehend what she was hearing. The false sense of security that she’d developed was shattered once again, just like it had been on Akiva. And while this place didn’t exactly feel like a home, as Akiva had, there were people here she’d also come to care about.

She’d abandoned Rowen on Akiva, after everything he’d done for her. She still carried the guilt and regret from that night. She wasn’t about to do the same thing to Emry.

“Jaina," Ahsoka said forcefully, snapping her out of her thoughts. “We don't have much time.”

Jaina glowered at her, but Ahsoka wasn’t backing down. Her eyes narrowed in warning, and after a moment, Jaina's shoulders slumped in defeat. With a heavy sigh, she turned and ran off, back to her room. As she passed back through the hangar, she belatedly realized everyone was preparing to fight.

She’d been so focused on finding Ahsoka earlier, she hadn’t even noticed the starfighters being fueled and pilots conducting their pre-flight checks. As she got farther into the base, she passed groups of what could only be ground troops, heavily armed, and heading off in various directions.

Once in her room, Jaina quickly grabbed clothes and the small number of possessions she’d managed to accumulate and stuffed them into a pack. Slinging the pack over her shoulders, she took one last look around, wishing she could at least say goodbye to Emry. A few seconds later, she was back out the door at a run.

As she was passing rows of fighters in one of the hangars, Jaina heard a familiar voice call her name. Skidding to a halt, she turned to see Emry running towards her, dressed in the unmistakable orange flight suit of a pilot. Jaina’s heart sank. She’d secretly hoped that whatever Emry did for the Rebellion, it never put her on the frontlines of the conflict. Now she knew otherwise.

“You're leaving?” was what Emry said, as she eyed Jaina’s pack. But what Jaina heard was, _you’re not going to fight?_

Jaina grimaced. “Not my choice. Ahsoka’s orders. If it were up to me…I’d stay.”

Emry gave her a surprised look, and Jaina couldn’t believe she’d said it either. But she meant it. She still had no intention of ever joining the Rebellion, but if it meant keeping those she cared about safe, as well as not being captured herself, she’d fight.

Jaina knew she was running out of time, but there were suddenly a thousand things she wanted to say to Emry. They gazed at each other, and Jaina had the sense Emry was thinking the same thing.

“Emry—” she began but was immediately cut off when Emry threw her arms around her. She hugged Jaina tightly, and Jaina couldn’t help but smile as she gripped her just as tight. They stayed like that for a long moment, the chaos in the hangar unfolding around them.

“Good luck,” Jaina eventually told her.

“You, too,” Emry replied, and they finally broke apart. Jaina hesitated a moment longer, then turned to go. If she didn’t walk away right now, she wasn’t going to, no matter what Ahsoka said.  
“Jaina,” Emry called after her. She turned around and saw Emry’s face was lit up by a smile. “May the Force be with you.”

Jaina beamed in response and watched as Emry turned and headed towards her ship. A few seconds later Jaina was running through the hangar again. Ahsoka was right where she’d left her, an annoyed look on her face as she waited. General Syndulla was gone, and Jaina knew she was likely preparing for the upcoming battle as well.

“Sorry,” Jaina apologized breathlessly, as she ran up to Ahsoka. “Emry stopped me on my way here.”

Ahsoka gave her a short nod and said nothing. She briskly led the way to a small freighter that was parked outside on one of the landing pads. Jaina idly wondered if this was Ahsoka’s ship, then realized she’d never actually seen her coming or going from the base.

They boarded and Jaina followed Ahsoka into the cockpit, unsure of what she should be doing. This was her first time on a ship that wasn't some sort of transport or capital ship, and she knew nothing about flying. She watched as Ahsoka slipped into the pilot's seat and deftly brought the ship to life, her fingers flying over the various switches and buttons that covered the console.

“Have a seat,” Ahsoka told her, without even breaking her rhythm.

Jaina set her pack down in the corner and dropped into the co-pilot’s seat. She hadn’t even finished strapping herself in before the ship started to rise through the trees. A minute or two later, they were speeding towards the upper atmosphere. Jaina stared out the viewport, trying to get a handle on the emotions churning inside her.

She was angry. Angry at the Empire for forcing her to run yet again. Angry at Ahsoka for not giving her any choice in the matter. She was also scared. Scared because she had no idea what came next, or where Ahsoka was taking her. Scared for Emry and Rex. Jaina was very much aware that the odds of their survival weren’t all that great.

And she felt guilty. She couldn’t get Emry’s look of disappointment when she saw Jaina was leaving, out of her head. Jaina felt as though she’d let her down, just like she did Rowen. Even though both situations were entirely out of her control. Which just made her angrier. It was a vicious cycle that repeated itself as they climbed higher and higher in the sky.

They finally broke atmosphere, and Jaina noticed, with some relief, that there were no Imperial ships present. At least not yet. She could see a small object in the distance, on the far side of the gas giant that the moon orbited, but she couldn't tell if it was Imperial or not. Ahsoka angled the ship away from the moon, then the stars elongated and the blue storm of hyperspace surrounded them.

Jaina crossed her arms and watched the swirling colors, stewing over everything that had just happened. She knew she should be trying to get control of her emotions—something Ahsoka was always stressing the importance of—but at the moment, she just didn’t care. She was mad and she wanted to feel mad. Scared and slightly ashamed were emotions she wouldn’t mind getting rid of, but mad…that was an emotion Jaina enjoyed sometimes.

“You're upset,” Ahsoka said, in a neutral voice.

Jaina jumped slightly as the sound of her voice broke the silence of the cockpit. She’d forgotten Ahsoka was sitting right next to her. Jaina made a face, realizing Ahsoka could feel every emotion that was going through her right now. It was one thing when she was the one who could feel someone else’s emotions; it was downright annoying when Ahsoka reminded Jaina she also had that ability.

“Yeah, I am,” Jaina retorted.

“Because we left,” Ahsoka said. It sounded more like a question than a statement. Jaina said nothing and continued to stare out the viewport.

“You would've preferred to stay—” Ahsoka gave her a dubious look “—and fight?”

“It would've been better than running away,” Jaina grumbled. She found it very hard to believe Ahsoka was fine with leaving and not fighting. Especially given what Jaina knew about her past. But she didn't seem upset at all. Her emotions were as calm as they normally were.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that, if given a choice, you would’ve chosen to stay,” Ahsoka replied. “But we’re not running away. Our mission lies elsewhere. And I would prefer it if we both stayed alive and out of the Empire’s hands long enough to complete it.”

 _Our mission?_ That got Jaina’s attention and she sat up a little straighter in her seat. Curiosity got the best of her and she finally glanced over at Ahsoka. “What mission?”

“We’ll get to that in a minute,” Ahsoka replied. “First, there’s something you need to know. It involves what you felt yesterday, while you were meditating.” Jaina uncrossed her arms. Ahsoka now had her full attention.

Ahsoka sat back in her seat, staring out the viewport as she spoke. “The Empire has created a brand-new weapon. It’s bigger, and more powerful than anything anyone has ever seen. There were rumors it could destroy entire worlds, though until recently, those rumors were unconfirmed.”

Jaina could hardly believe what she was hearing. She knew the Empire was obsessed with expanding their military presence, but creating a superweapon that could destroy worlds? It seemed so outrageous, even for them. A horrible thought suddenly occurred to her.

“Until recently?” Jaina asked quietly. Ahsoka nodded. “How recently?”

Ahsoka didn't answer, but she didn't have to. Jaina's stomach turned as the sickening realization hit her. “When I was meditating…” she trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

“Yes,” Ahsoka confirmed.

“No, it can't be,” Jaina said, slowly shaking her head. She didn't want to believe the Empire was capable of something so atrocious and cruel. “The Empire wouldn't do something like that. They'd have no reason to! There has to be another explanation.”

Ahsoka didn't respond, and they sat in silence for a while. “Which planet?” Jaina finally asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

“Alderaan,” Ahsoka replied. Her tone was grim, and Jaina could hear the anger behind it.

Relief hit her when Jaina realized it wasn’t her homeworld, but she immediately felt ashamed. Millions of people had still lost their lives, even if they hadn’t been her people. Innocent people, civilians, who the Empire had no reason to target. Another, more terrifying thought, entered her mind.

“General Syndulla said the Empire had found the base,” Jaina said slowly, hoping Ahsoka wouldn't confirm her worst fears. That hope was instantly dashed, the moment Ahsoka looked at her.

“But that means—” Ahsoka quickly shook her head, cutting Jaina off.

“We don't know that yet,” she said firmly. “There’s still a chance it can be destroyed.” She sounded determined, hopeful, and Jaina wanted so badly to believe she was right.

Something started beeping, and Ahsoka reached over and flipped a switch in the center of the console. The mottled blue instantly changed to starlines, and a split-second later they were surrounded by the black vastness of realspace once more.

It looked to Jaina like they’d come out of hyperspace in the middle of nowhere. She could see no planets, or moons, or anything around them. “Now what?” she asked Ahsoka.

“Now,” Ahsoka replied, as she began shutting down the ship, “we wait.”

A minute later, Ahsoka finished what she was doing and sat back down. Jaina watched as they began to drift. There was something very disconcerting about being inside a small ship, in open space, with nothing and no one else around. It made her feel claustrophobic.

“What are we waiting for?” Jaina asked, suppressing a shiver. She knew Ahsoka had kept the life support systems on, but it was already starting to grow cold.

“For General Syndulla,” Ahsoka replied. Seeing Jaina’s confused look, she continued, “If everything goes according to plan, she will be meeting us at this rendezvous point.”

“And if it doesn't, and she doesn't show up?” Jaina asked.

A grim look crossed Ahsoka's face. “Then we'll know the Empire won.”

This time Jaina didn’t even bother trying to suppress the shiver. She gazed out the viewport, trying not to think about Emry, and Rex, and everyone else dying at the hands of whatever this superweapon was that the Empire had. She hoped Ahsoka had a plan for how they were going to pass the time while they waited. She couldn’t sit here for hours without anything to do.

“You said we have another mission?” Jaina tentatively asked, hoping Ahsoka would elaborate so she could take her mind off of what was going on back on Yavin.

Ahsoka smiled at her. “I did.” She swiveled her chair so she was facing Jaina. “When I said I’d teach you everything I know, I meant it. There was always a chance the Empire would find the base on Yavin, and I knew we’d need to leave eventually if I was going to properly train you. The Empire forced my hand earlier than I would’ve liked, but I think I’ve found somewhere we can go, where no one will bother us, and the Empire won’t find us.”

Jaina thought about that for a moment. She couldn’t imagine there was anywhere in the galaxy the Empire wouldn’t find them eventually, but Ahsoka seemed confident she’d found one.

“And that’s our mission?” Jaina asked skeptically. “To train me?” It sounded too simple, and not all that important.

“Yes,” Ahsoka replied. She noticed Jaina still didn’t look convinced, and chuckled. “I know you don’t see it yet, but there’s a reason the Force brought us together.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” Jaina said. “But…if you say there is, then I believe you.”

“Good. Speaking of training you…” Ahsoka stood up and grabbed a small pack that was behind her seat. “Follow me.”

Jaina followed her out of the cockpit, eager to find out what she had planned. Whatever it was, it would be infinitely better than sitting around, doing nothing. Ahsoka led her to the small cargo hold in the rear of the ship.

“You’ve impressed me, with how focused you’ve been in our lessons lately,” Ahsoka said, once they were inside the hold. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect that. As a result, you’ve progressed a little faster than I anticipated, and I think you’re ready for something a little more challenging.”

Jaina had no idea what to say but was happy that Ahsoka was pleased with her effort. Ahsoka motioned for her to sit, so she did. Ahsoka set the bag on the floor and began to pace; it was a habit Jaina had noticed early on and was usually accompanied by a lengthy lecture.

“What I’m going to teach you will be building on something we’ve already worked on. This is just the next step. As I’ve told you before, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right away. You’ll have plenty of time to practice while we wait.”

Jaina nodded. And without the added distractions that were always around whenever they were inside the base, she should have an easier time staying focused as well.

“Now, close your eyes, and clear your mind,” Ahsoka instructed.

Jaina did as she was told. Taking deep breaths, she pushed away all the thoughts, fears, and doubts that currently occupied her mind. Emry, Rex, Rowen, her parents…everything faded away as she centered herself.

“Are you ready?” Ahsoka asked when she opened her eyes again. Jaina nodded. “Good. Let’s begin.”


	9. Unknown & Unknowable

“Now…focus.” Ahsoka’s calm voice cut through Jaina's concentration but didn’t break it. “Nice and slow. Don’t try to rush it.”

Jaina's brow was furrowed, and beads of sweat had broken out on her forehead, despite the chill of the ship. Her arm was stretched out in front of her; she moved it slowly, from one side to the other, using it as a focal point for the Force.

On the other end of that invisible connection—and on the opposite side of the cargo hold—was a small object, floating in the air. It moved as Jaina's hand moved, inching its way towards the other small mechanical part she had already placed on the floor.

The furrow in her brow deepened the closer it got, and finally, the part settled gently onto the floor, next to its companion. Jaina released her hold on it and dropped her arm, panting slightly. She opened her eyes and looked at Ahsoka, who had her arms crossed but looked pleased.

“Well done,” Ahsoka said. She gestured to the side of the hold opposite the two parts that Jaina had just moved. “Three more to go.”

Jaina nodded and took a deep breath. They’d been at this for hours, although she’d barely noticed how much time had passed. She’d already moved all five of the small parts from one side of the hold to the other, twice now, and Ahsoka was having her do it again. As taxing as it was, Jaina didn’t mind. It wasn’t like they had anything else to do.

And every time she did it, it got a tiny bit easier. That was encouragement enough to keep going. Although, she didn’t think it’d ever become easier when the lesson had first started. No, she had essentially dismissed the task as impossible, as soon as Ahsoka had told her what she’d be learning.

It didn’t help that Ahsoka made it look incredibly easy when she’d demonstrated it herself. With barely even a flick of her wrist, Ahsoka had picked up all five of the parts and moved them across the hold, setting them down in a neat row on the floor. Jaina couldn’t help but feel frustrated before reminding herself that Ahsoka had been doing this far longer than she had.

Jaina closed her eyes again and reached through the Force, quickly finding the next part in the line. Stretching her hand out, she focused the Force through it—a few moments later she had a hold of the part and lifted it into the air.

When she’d first started, grabbing onto the parts through the Force was like trying to grab a feather while it floated in the air. Eventually, though, she’d gotten the hang of it. Now, the hard part was trying to keep her hold on it while simultaneously moving it. It required more focus and concentration than she’d ever used before.

The part was halfway across the cargo hold when an alarm started blaring throughout the ship. It instantly shattered Jaina's concentration, and the part fell to the floor with a loud clang. The alarm had sounded so suddenly that it sent a jolt of terror through her, and she could’ve sworn her heart stopped beating for a moment.

Ahsoka was already out of the hold before Jaina finally realized what was going on. She sprinted after her, and they made it to the cockpit seconds before another ship blinked into existence directly in front of them. Jaina strained to see if it was General Syndulla’s, but it was still too far away to tell.

She didn’t have to wait long to find out. The ship's comm chimed, and Ahsoka activated it.

“Fulcrum, this is Spectre-2.” Jaina breathed a sigh of relief as she heard General Syndulla’s voice come through. She looked at Ahsoka, who gave her a relieved smile. Jaina usually never felt much in the way of emotions from Ahsoka, but she could feel the relief pouring off of her now.

“Spectre-2, this is Fulcrum,” Ahsoka replied. “It's good to hear your voice.”

“Likewise,” came the response. Jaina could hear the relief in her voice as well. “Mind if I dock with you?”

Ahsoka began turning some of the ship's systems back on. “Not at all. See you in a minute.” She switched the comm off and went back to work. Jaina watched out the viewport as General Syndulla’s ship grew larger and angled itself alongside them.

Ahsoka finished what she was doing and Jaina followed her out of the cockpit and to the airlock. A few moments later, the door slid open with a hiss. She’d expected to see General Syndulla, but Emry and Rex were a total surprise.

“You’re alive!” Jaina blurted out. Everyone chuckled and Jaina felt her face growing hot. She quickly tried to backtrack. “I mean—I thought—” Emry crossed her arms and gave her a look.

“You thought what? We couldn’t hold our own against the Empire?” Emry smirked and Jaina shook her head.

“No…I just didn’t know—”

“—We just didn’t know when we’d see you again,” Ahsoka finished for her. Jaina shot her a grateful look. Ahsoka walked forward and shook hands with Rex and General Syndulla. “But I am happy to see you’re still alive.”

“Same here,” Rex said. “I won’t lie, it was touch and go there for a while. But in the end, we pulled it off.” There was no mistaking the pride in his voice and Jaina couldn’t help but smile. Emry hung back with her as General Syndulla led them deeper into her ship.

“Have you been waiting out here this whole time?” Emry asked as they walked.

“Yep,” Jaina replied. “Ahsoka explained what was going on once we were in hyperspace. Is it…?”

“Destroyed? Yes, it is.” Emry sighed. “Rex wasn’t wrong though. It _was_ close.” She sounded tired, and Jaina wondered how bad the battle had been. She laid a hand on Emry’s arm, stopping her.

“I didn’t mean to sound so surprised,” she said apologetically. “It’s just…I know how deadly the Empire can be, and when Ahsoka told me about Alderaan and what they’d done to it…” She sighed. “I couldn’t help but think the worst.”

Emry’s eyes searched hers for a second and Jaina could see they looked just as tired as she sounded. “I honestly didn’t think any of us would make it out alive. A lot didn’t. But a lot more of them didn’t either.”

There was a grim satisfaction behind her words, and Jaina had to suppress a shudder. As much as she’d tried to put it behind her, her loyalty to the Empire still wasn’t completely broken. She mentally shook her head and pushed those thoughts out of her mind, choosing to focus instead on what was right in front of her. Which was her friend, alive and well.

She pulled Emry into a hug, which Emry seemed to gladly accept. “Two months ago,” Emry said, as they started walking again, “if someone would’ve told me I’d be happy to see an Imperial, I would’ve laughed in their face.” She grinned at Jaina. “But, here we are.”

“Ex-Imperial,” Jaina reminded her, with a grin of her own. “And if someone would’ve told me the same thing about you, a rebel,” she wrinkled her nose in mock disgust, “I wouldn’t have believed them either.”

They emerged, laughing, into the common area of the ship, where Ahsoka, Rex, and General Syndulla were gathered. Emry walked over and took a seat next to Rex and General Syndulla at the table, and Jaina went and stood next to Ahsoka.

“Ahsoka was just telling us that she kept you awfully busy while you were waiting,” Rex said, and Jaina thought she saw a twinkle in his eye. “Mind showing us what you were up to?”

Jaina looked at Ahsoka, surprised. “Go ahead,” Ahsoka told her. She glanced around the room then pointed: “Use that.”

Jaina looked to where she was pointing and saw a small wrench sitting on top of some stacked crates in the corner. She glanced back at Ahsoka, suddenly terrified of being put on the spot. Not only did she not want to fail in front of everyone, but she also didn’t want to let Ahsoka down. And—if she was being honest—she really didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of Emry.

She looked around the room and saw that everyone was watching her expectantly. Ahsoka gave her an encouraging nod, so Jaina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying as hard as she could to force the fear out of her mind. She reached out through the Force and found the wrench easy enough. Now came the hard part.

She stretched her hand out and focused as hard as she could on trying to grab it. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her and heard the wrench begin to rattle around as she tried to grip it. It had been much easier in Ahsoka’s ship when no one else had been around to watch her.

“Relax,” Ahsoka murmured in her ear, sensing her anxiety. “Just like we practiced. Forget about all the distractions, and focus.”

Jaina nodded slightly and took another deep breath. This time, she blew it out slowly, using it to help clear her mind. Everything else quickly faded and then it was just her, the Force, and the wrench. She tried again, faintly smiling as she finally grabbed a hold of it. She lifted it into the air and slowly moved it, in the direction of Rex, the general, and Emry.

She stopped it in front of them, and let it hover there. “Take it,” she heard Rex say. She felt someone grab the wrench and released her hold on it, dropping her arm and opening her eyes.

Emry was staring, open-mouthed, looking back and forth between Jaina and the wrench she now held in her hand. Rex and General Syndulla, on the other hand, were smiling and looked genuinely impressed.

“Well done,” General Syndulla told her. Jaina beamed at her, then looked to Ahsoka who gave her a pleased smile.

“Yes, excellent job,” Rex said. He fixed Ahsoka with a playful look. “Guess I need to be more careful about how close I’m standing to the two of you now…especially if we’re up high.”

Jaina frowned in confusion, but Ahsoka laughed. “That was one time, Rex. And we caught you before you hit the ground.”

Rex laughed and shook his head, then got up to follow Ahsoka and General Syndulla down the hall. Emry stayed seated and Jaina walked over and joined her. Emry had set the wrench down on the table and was staring at it like it might move on its own again. She glanced up at Jaina as she sat down next to her.

“That was amazing,” she said, and Jaina could hear the wonder in her voice. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I didn’t either,” Jaina replied, “until a few hours ago.”

“I wonder what else you can do,” Emry said. The way she’d said it and the look she was now giving her, sent a small jolt of electricity through Jaina.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Jaina said, blushing slightly.

Rex reappeared just then, with two bowls of something that smelled amazing, setting them down in front of them. Jaina hadn’t realized how hungry she was until now, and her stomach growled in response. They thanked him and he disappeared down the hall once more.

Emry recounted the battle while they ate, describing in detail what the Empire’s superweapon had been. Jaina had no idea it had even existed and told Emry as much when she’d asked. Thankfully, Emry believed her.

A small part of her might still feel some loyalty to the Empire, but Jaina felt no remorse when Emry told her they’d destroyed it, along with the countless lives that had been on it. The Empire hadn’t played by the rules when they’d blown up Alderaan. In her eyes, this was a just punishment for that crime.

Rex, Ahsoka, and General Syndulla never returned from wherever in the ship they'd gone, but Jaina could hear talking and laughter coming from down the hall. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood; it was something Jaina hadn’t felt or seen from any of them in the entire time she’d known them.

After they finished eating, Emry challenged Jaina to a game of dejarik, and handily beat her in what Emry boasted was record time. It had been ages since Jaina had played. It wasn’t like she’d had much downtime in her former life, and she’d gotten rusty. It also served to re-awaken the fact that she hated to lose.

Jaina immediately requested a rematch, and then another one after Emry beat her again. The competition was heated but friendly. They were in their fifth or sixth game—Jaina had lost count—when she finally noticed how tired Emry was. She couldn’t stop yawning, and finally, Jaina shut the game off, right in the middle of her turn.

“Hey!” Emry protested, angrily crossing her arms. “That was my move.”

“You’re about to fall asleep,” Jaina said. “Why don’t you go lay down?”

“No, I’m not,” Emry retorted, but Jaina could tell she was trying to stifle another yawn. “You just don’t want me to beat you again.”

“I’m pretty sure I was winning.” Emry said nothing; she knew Jaina was right. She couldn’t stifle the yawn any longer and Jaina gave her a look that said _I told you so_.

“Fine,” Emry replied. She was trying to act upset, but Jaina could feel that she was relieved. “I guess I am a little tired.”

Jaina had expected her to disappear into another part of the ship—she assumed there were berthing compartments somewhere—but instead, Emry laid down next to her on the bench. She didn’t quite fit and her legs draped over the other end, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.

“Is that even comfortable?” Jaina asked her, raising an eyebrow as she looked down at her. Emry’s head was right next to her leg; she looked up at Jaina and nodded.

“Uh-huh…” She was already starting to drift off, and Jaina turned the game back on, switching it over to single-player mode. If Emry was going to sleep, she was going to practice, so she’d maybe have a shot at beating her when she woke up again. She felt Emry twitch and looked down, seeing her eyes were open again.

“Wake me up before you leave?” The was a subtle hint of anxiety in Emry's tone and Jaina gave her a reassuring smile.

“Of course,” she replied. Emry sleepily smiled back and her eyes fell shut again. Jaina watched her for a moment, then turned her attention back to the game. A few minutes later, she heard Emry’s breathing slow, and felt her relax completely.

She fared even worse against the computer, losing two in a row before finally giving up. Without the distraction of the game, or Emry to talk to, it wasn’t long before Jaina noticed how tired she was. The hours of concentrating and practicing on the ship had taken a bigger toll on her than she’d realized.

Leaning her head back against the seat, Jaina closed her eyes, figuring she could at least doze until Ahsoka came and got her. She could feel Emry’s presence next to her more clearly than she’d been able to before; it was relaxing and within minutes Jaina fell into a deep sleep.

She was in the middle of a particularly pleasant dream when she felt a hand gently shaking her awake. Opening her eyes, she saw Rex was standing over her.

“It's time to go,” he said quietly, and Jaina nodded. Looking down, she saw Emry was still sound asleep next to her. She looked so peaceful, Jaina didn’t want to wake her up, but she’d promised.

She gently shook Emry awake, giving her the same message. Neither of them was fully alert yet when Ahsoka and General Syndulla walked into the room. Ahsoka looked troubled, and Jaina instantly felt uneasy, wondering what was going on.

“Are you ready to go?” Ahsoka asked her. Jaina nodded and reluctantly stood up. She gave Emry a quick hug and followed Ahsoka back down the ramp into their ship.

“What’s wrong?” Jaina asked her, as soon as the airlock resealed. “Is it the Empire? Did something else happen?”

Ahsoka shook her head, frowning. “No, nothing happened.” She sounded distant and was staring vacantly past Jaina’s shoulder. She shook her head again, as if clearing a bad memory, and gave Jaina a faint smile. “Everything is fine.”

She didn’t elaborate further and Jaina followed her into the cockpit. Ahsoka began getting the ship ready to go and Jaina sat down in the co-pilot's seat again, watching her. Something was clearly bothering her, but Jaina didn’t feel like it was her place to ask.

“So…what now?” she asked instead. “Where are we headed?” The ship shuddered slightly, and a few seconds later, General Syndulla's ship moved in front of them. Before Ahsoka could answer her, the comm chimed and Ahsoka activated it.

“We’re ready to jump now, but give me a bit of a head start,” General Syndulla said. “I don't think there will be any issues, but I want to make sure. Once you arrive, wait in orbit until I signal you.”

“Copy that,” Ahsoka replied and switched the comm off. Jaina watched as Syndulla's ship pulled farther in front of them, then with a flicker, disappeared.

“We’re going to Lothal,” Ahsoka finally replied. It was the last place Jaina had expected to hear, and her face must’ve shown her surprise. Ahsoka raised an eyebrow at her. “I take it you’re aware of what recently happened there then?”

Jaina nodded. “What makes you think the Empire won’t bother us there? _Especially_ after what happened.” She had a hard time believing the Empire was okay with allowing the destruction of an entire fleet of ships with no repercussions.

“So far, the Empire has shown no indication of returning.” Ahsoka chuckled slightly. “And after today, I think Lothal is the least of their worries. We should be completely safe there.”

She sounded confident and Jaina could see no evidence Ahsoka felt otherwise, so she shrugged and let the rest of her argument go. “If you say so.”

“I know you’re worried,” Ahsoka said sympathetically. “And I can’t blame you, especially after what happened on Akiva and again on Yavin. Trust doesn’t come easily for me either.”

They sat in silence for a while, and Jaina wondered how much of a headstart they were going to give General Syndulla. Eventually, Ahsoka reached over and flipped a switch on the center console. The stars elongated and the mottled blue of hyperspace surrounded them once more.

“I trust you,” Jaina said slowly. The swirling colors outside the viewport had a hypnotic effect and she felt herself growing sleepy again. “I just don’t trust anyone or anything else.”

“That’s fair,” Ahsoka replied. “You have good instincts though. Don’t be afraid to follow them.”

Jaina nodded. Those good instincts had kept her alive, so far. She couldn’t fight it any longer and her head dipped. She dozed the remainder of the journey through hyperspace, waking only when she heard the navicomputer beep, signaling their arrival at Lothal.

She drowsily watched as they entered realspace again. The planet of Lothal came rushing up to greet them, and Jaina couldn’t help but notice how terrible it looked. Her second observation was the complete lack of Imperial ships surrounding the planet. Ahsoka was right: the Empire hadn’t returned at all.

As instructed, Ahsoka settled into orbit, waiting for General Syndulla's signal. Jaina’s curiosity finally got the best of her. “Why do we have to wait up here? Why can’t we just land?”

“The Empire might not occupy this world anymore,” Ahsoka explained, “but their occupation took its toll on the locals. Off-worlders are not allowed on the surface without having a legitimate reason for being there. General Syndulla is friendly with the new governor. That’s why she went ahead of us, to ensure we can land safely and are cleared to stay for as long as we need to.”

“I see,” Jaina said, nodding. The Empire had certainly left its mark on the planet. Even from up there, she could see how devastated it looked.

After a while, the comm chimed, and Ahsoka switched it on. “Fulcrum, this is Spectre-2. You’re cleared to land. Docking bay 15. We’ll meet you there,” General Syndulla said.

“Copy that, Spectre-2,” Ahsoka replied. “On our way.” She switched the comm off and angled the ship towards the planet.

They entered the atmosphere and Jaina was finally able to see how damaged the planet was. Large swaths of land had been scorched, and once-green grasslands were brown. She now understood why the locals were being so cautious, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. She’d seen destruction like this on countless worlds in her time with the Empire and had always turned a blind eye to it.

The city itself wasn't in much better shape. As they came in to land, Jaina saw that many of the buildings had either been reduced to rubble or were so badly damaged no one could feasibly live in them.

As Ahsoka smoothly set the ship down in the docking bay, Jaina couldn't help but feel nervous. “ _… it isn’t going to be easy. You’re going to be tested, in more ways than you can possibly imagine_.” The warning Ahsoka gave her before their first lesson had begun replaying itself over and over in her mind, and Jaina wondered what she was about to get herself into.

Ahsoka powered down the ship, they grabbed their things, and Jaina followed Ahsoka out of the cockpit. Walking down the ramp, she saw that General Syndulla was waiting for them, along with Rex and Emry. A fourth person was standing with them, wearing the tell-tale armor that the warriors among her people were famous for.

A long-forgotten memory flashed through Jaina's mind. She’d been about five or six years old and her father had caught her poking around in a closet she knew she wasn't supposed to get into. She hadn’t been in there long before he ushered her out, but it was long enough for Jaina to get a good look at what was in there.

Two sets of matching armor and helmets, very similar to what this woman was wearing, were hanging next to each other. Jaina had started to pull one of them down when her father had caught her, and he'd scolded her severely. His resistance to her being in there had only made Jaina more curious, but every time she tried to sneak back in, she found the closet locked. Ultimately, she’d forgotten about it.

But now the memory had come rushing back. She’d, of course, learned what the armor stood for as she’d gotten older, but hadn’t put two and two together until just now. And along with the realization came a slew of questions. Ones she’d make sure to ask her parents. If she ever got the chance to see them again, that is.

Ahsoka must have sensed her distraction because she nudged Jaina's arm as they approached the others. Jaina mentally shook her head, clearing away the memory and questions. She caught Emry smiling at her as they walked up, and she returned it, feeling the nervousness of what she was about to face dissipate completely.

“Well I’ll be damned,” the armored stranger said to Ahsoka, extending her hand, “you are still alive.” Jaina couldn’t see her face, but she could tell by her voice she was smiling.

“It’s good to see you, too, Sabine,” Ahsoka replied, chuckling. She shook her hand, then gestured to Jaina. “This is Jaina.”

The stranger—Sabine, apparently—extended her hand to Jaina. “Welcome to Lothal, Jaina.”

“Thanks,” Jaina replied, returning the handshake. Not being able to see Sabine’s face as she spoke to her, was making her uneasy. It made getting a read on her nearly impossible. Her loyalty officer days might be long gone, but her training on how to read people would always be there. And Jaina didn’t like not being able to read someone.

“Shall we?” General Syndulla said. Sabine nodded once, then turned and started walking towards the docking bay doors. The general fell in alongside her, Ahsoka next to Rex, and Emry and Jaina brought up the rear.

Jaina couldn’t let her uneasiness go, and she put her hand on Emry’s arm, stopping her. Emry gave her a questioning look, but Jaina didn’t speak until the rest of the group was out of earshot.

“What do you know about Sabine?” Jaina asked her in a low voice, getting right to the point.

Emry shrugged. “Not much,” she admitted. “I know she was part of the general's old rebel cell that helped overthrow the Empire here. And she's Mandalorian, like you.” Jaina frowned. That wasn’t much to go on.

“Did you ever have armor like that?” Emry asked as they started walking again. Jaina shook her head.

“No,” she replied. “I haven't seen armor like that in years. Only the warriors wear it.”

“Oh, so you’re not a warrior?” Emry said. Jaina shot her a look, thinking she was teasing her, then quickly realized she was being serious.

“No,” she replied. “Not every Mandalorian is a warrior, like some of the stories I’m sure you’ve heard, would have you believe. I wasn’t raised that way. Sabine was, apparently.”

“Hey, you two! Keep up!” Rex yelled to them, finally noticing how far back they'd gotten. Jaina and Emry exchanged a guilty look and quickened their pace.

“Sorry,” they echoed when they caught up. Jaina saw the look of disapproval on Ahsoka’s face and gave her an apologetic one. They followed Sabine to two sets of speeders parked on a side street. As they approached the speeders, Jaina felt a sudden shift in Emry's emotions and her heart sank.

“You’re not staying, are you?” Jaina asked her, the disappointment evident in her voice. A small part of her had hoped they would stick around, at least for a few days. She knew Emry’s duty was elsewhere and hers was here, but that didn't make it any easier to say goodbye again.

“No,” Emry said regretfully. “Rex and I have some errands to run with the general, and once we're done, we're leaving.”

Jaina sighed. The only comfort she had was that Emry looked just as crestfallen as she felt. Once again, Jaina felt like she had a thousand things she wanted to say, but zero time to say them in. Emry pulled her in for a hug, and as Jaina wrapped her arms around her, she realized she had no idea if or when she would ever see Emry again.

“Be safe,” Emry told her, hugging her a little tighter.

“You too,” Jaina replied. She caught Ahsoka giving her another disapproving look, and reluctantly pulled away.

Emry climbed into one of the speeders with Sabine, Rex, and General Syndulla, and Jaina joined Ahsoka in the other one. Both groups went their separate ways, with Ahsoka slowly navigating them through the city and finally out onto the plains. Ahsoka didn’t seem to be in the mood for conversation, which was fine by Jaina. She sat quietly next to her, staring straight ahead.

A whole host of thoughts and emotions were running through her, but all she could focus on was the unknown. She had no idea what to expect or what she was about to face. Ahsoka’s warning echoed in her mind again, and Jaina shivered slightly.

She’d told Ahsoka before that first lesson, that she was ready. “We’ll see,” Ahsoka had said. Doubt suddenly filled her mind and Jaina swallowed nervously. She wasn't ready. In fact, she was the furthest thing from it, but it was too late now. There was no turning back, and as the plains of Lothal flew by them, she readied herself for whatever Ahsoka and the Force decided to throw at her.


	10. Clouded Vision

Jaina climbed out of the speeder and pulled her jacket a little tighter around her, trying to ward off the chill. Wherever they were, it was cold. Looking around, she could see nothing but wide-open space and wondered why Ahsoka had stopped here.

She may not have been able to see anything, but she could definitely feel something. The Force was strong here, stronger than she’d ever felt it before. It felt alive, like it was a living, breathing entity moving around them.

“Where are we?” Jaina asked as Ahsoka walked up next to her.

Ahsoka said nothing and continued walking, eventually stopping several meters away. Confused and slightly annoyed, Jaina followed her. Ahsoka was looking down, at something on the ground, and when Jaina joined her, she could see there were markings carved onto it.

“A Jedi temple once stood here,” Ahsoka said reverently, “before it was destroyed.”

“Why was it destroyed?” Jaina quietly asked, when she realized Ahsoka wasn’t going to offer more information on her own.

“The Emperor sought to use the secrets and knowledge within it for himself,” Ahsoka replied, somewhat acidly. “He wanted access to the power that was contained deep inside.”

Jaina had—for the first time since she’d known her—the sense that Ahsoka was struggling to control her emotions.

“Was he successful?” she tentatively asked.

A grim smile crossed Ahsoka's face. “No, he wasn’t. The temple was destroyed before he could gain access to it.” She looked down at Jaina. “This planet has a strong connection to the Force. It's another reason why I chose it.”

Jaina nodded. “I can feel it, especially right here.”

Ahsoka turned around and sat cross-legged on the ground, her hands on her knees; it was the same position she’d taught Jaina how to meditate in. Jaina got the hint and sat down across from her, in the same position.

“I brought you up here,” Ahsoka said, “to one of the few places on this world that the Force is the strongest, so you could connect to it. I know you’ve been working on going deeper during your meditations, and that’s exactly what I want you to do now. Use the strength of the Force here and try to go further than you have been. Open yourself up completely to it. Have you had any visions yet?”

Jaina shook her head. “Meditating on Yavin wasn’t the easiest. There were always…distractions.”

“Use the opportunity you have now, then,” Ahsoka said, “to see how deep you can go.”

Jaina nervously nodded. Yes, there had been plenty of distractions on Yavin, but she’d also been holding back. The idea of fully opening herself up terrified her, and she’d never let her meditations get that far. Ahsoka spoke of visions as if they were a good thing, but Jaina wasn’t so sure.

“I will be here with you the whole time,” Ahsoka assured her, sensing her apprehension.

Jaina nodded again and suddenly, a terrifying thought struck her. “What if the same thing that happened with Alderaan, happens again?” She hadn’t meditated since then and wasn’t in a hurry to experience it again.

“It won’t, “Ahsoka replied firmly. Jaina gave her a skeptical look. “You can’t worry about things that may or may not happen,” Ahsoka said, her voice slightly more soothing. “Now…clear your mind.”

Jaina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She slowly blew it out, letting her fear, and worries, and doubts go with it. With the Force flowing so strongly around her, and with no distractions, she was able to empty her mind with ease. Within minutes she had sunk into a deep meditation, pushing past her comfort zone and fully allowing the Force to flow into her, as Ahsoka had instructed.

She was allowing the current of energy to pull her along when Jaina suddenly sensed she wasn’t alone. There was another presence with her, but it wasn’t Ahsoka. She opened her eyes, expecting to see Ahsoka right in front of her, but she was gone.

Jaina frowned and got to her feet, looking around. Not only was Ahsoka nowhere in sight, but the speeder was gone as well. Frustration welled inside Jaina—Ahsoka had promised she’d stay with her.

“Why are you here?” an unfamiliar voice said, seemingly from nowhere. Jaina spun around, trying to find the source of it. She saw nothing, and that only added to the growing frustration.

“Who are you?” She could hear the rising panic and agitation in her voice and tried to tamp it down. “Where’s Ahsoka?”

“Why are you here?” the voice repeated, more insistent this time.

Jaina didn't answer. She didn’t recognize the voice, and even though she felt another presence, she could see no one. “Where’s Ahsoka? I’m not answering anything until you tell me where she is.”

“She is safe,” the voice replied. His vague answer only agitated Jaina further.

“What is this?” she asked sharply. “Who are you?”

“Who I am is of little importance,” the voice said. “The real question is, who are you, and why are you here?”

Jaina angrily shook her head. This felt like a game, one she wasn’t going to win. But she decided to play along anyway. “I’m Jai—” she started to say.

“Yes, yes, I know your name,” the voice interrupted dismissively, “but there’s more to you than that. Tell me, do you know who you are?”

The question caught Jaina off-guard. She thought about it for a moment and realized she had no answer for him. She used to know who she was. She’d told Ahsoka as much that first evening they’d spent at the overlook. She’d felt so lost back then, unsure of who she was anymore, what her path forward was supposed to be. Things had certainly improved in the time since, but Jaina couldn’t deny still feeling lost.

Yes, the training and lessons had given her a purpose. Held her attention and made her focus, but until now Jaina had never stopped and asked herself the real reason why she was doing it. "Because of the Inquisitor" seemed like the obvious answer, but she knew that was a cop-out.

“I thought I did,” Jaina finally replied. “I guess I don’t.”

“That is something you will need to answer,” he said. “No one else can answer it for you. And until you do, you will never truly be at peace.”

The voice paused for a moment, then continued: “Now, tell me why you’re here.”

“To learn,” Jaina quickly replied. That was a question she could answer. Or so she thought.

“To learn about…what?” he prompted.

“The Force,” she replied, “and my connection to it.”

“Ah yes,” he said, his voice growing more serious, “and a strong connection it is. What is it about that connection that you want to learn?”

Once again, Jaina was at a loss for words. The easy answer would’ve been "how to defeat the Inquisitor", but just like before, she knew there was more to it than that. It brought her back to the question of why she was doing all this in the first place. What was she hoping to gain from Ahsoka’s lessons? Defeating the Inquisitor and getting the Empire off her back was an obvious goal, but what happens after that?

“I—I guess I don’t know exactly,” she stammered.

Jaina heard him sigh. “These are questions you will need to answer, and soon. There is a darkness growing inside you. It’s being fed by the guilt, regret, fear, and anger you’re holding on to. The longer you remain unbalanced; the longer you allow these emotions to eat away at you, the larger that darkness will grow, until it consumes you.

“This is a dangerous time for you. You’re just beginning to discover your abilities and the power that comes along with them. If you do not heed my warning and find balance; if you do not find the answers to the questions I asked you…” he trailed off.

Jaina waited for him to continue, and when he didn’t, she quietly asked: “What will happen to me?”

“It won't be what happens to you,” he said ominously.

A vision suddenly appeared before her eyes. Jaina saw herself and Sabine—Sabine was standing over her, a look of disgust on her face. She turned to walk away, and Jaina watched in horror as she saw herself use the Force to throw Sabine into something. Sabine crumpled to the ground and didn’t move.

Jaina wanted to look away but couldn’t, and as she watched herself angrily stride toward Sabine’s motionless body, the vision suddenly changed. Ahsoka was now in front of her, her lightsabers drawn and ignited.

“You don’t want to do this,” Ahsoka warned her. Jaina watched herself circle Ahsoka, an ignited saber in her own hand.

“Yes…I do,” she replied. Jaina's eyes went wide as she watched herself charge at Ahsoka, striking hard and fast with her blade.

The vision abruptly changed again, and this time she saw herself standing in front of Emry. “Please, Jaina, don’t do this,” Emry pleaded. The look of fear and hurt on her face was almost more than Jaina could bear, but she couldn’t look away.

“Get out of my way,” she growled at Emry, in the vision. Emry shook her head.

“No, I won’t. I can't let you go.” Horror turned to revulsion as Jaina watched herself raise a hand towards Emry; seconds later, Emry began to struggle to breathe. Jaina choked back bile, helplessly watching as Emry’s hands clawed and tore at her throat.

“Enough!” Jaina yelled, pleading with the unseen voice. “I’ve seen enough! Make it stop!” The vision finally ended, but not before she watched Emry's body go limp and fall to the ground.

Jaina fell to her hands and knees, sucking in deep breaths and trying not to get sick. She didn’t want to believe she was capable of such cruelty, but there was no denying what she’d seen. The voice had said there was darkness in her; was that why the Force showed her this? To show her what was going to happen if she allowed it to grow?

“I can’t let that happen,” Jaina mumbled, more to herself than anything. “I won’t…”

There was no reply, though she hadn’t expected one, and Jaina slowly realized she couldn’t sense the voice’s presence anymore. She was completely alone.

She sat back down and closed her eyes. The images from the vision were there to greet her, and she took slow, deep breaths, trying to clear them from her mind. After an agonizing while, they dissipated, and she fell back into a deep meditation.

Out of nowhere, Jaina heard Ahsoka's voice calling her name. It sounded distant and she immediately followed it, hearing it grow closer and closer until finally, it sounded like it was right next to her. Tentatively, Jaina opened her eyes and realized she was now lying on her side, on the ground. Ahsoka was kneeling next to her, a hand on her shoulder as she shook her and called her name again.

Jaina groaned and sat up. “What happened?” Ahsoka asked. There was a hint of worry in her voice, but Jaina could tell she already knew the answer.

“A vision…I think,” she replied. “I don’t know. It wasn’t exactly like you’d described them to me.” Jaina shivered, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold air or what she’d seen.

“Given how strong the Force is here, I’m not surprised,” Ahsoka said. “You’re not the only one who’s had strange visions here.” She paused. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Jaina hesitated, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think so,” she said, apologetically. “At least…not right now.”

Ahsoka gave her a slight nod and let it go. Jaina was beyond grateful she didn’t push her to discuss it. She didn’t know if she could right now, not without breaking down. Ahsoka helped her to her feet, and they made their way back to the speeder.

The ride back was just as quiet as the ride there. Jaina spent the entire time turning the conversation she’d had and the vision she’d seen, over in her head, trying to make sense of it. By the time they’d reached the outskirts of the city, she was no further along in understanding it than she had been when they’d left the temple site.

Instead of heading into the city, Ahsoka drove them to an old communications tower on the outskirts. Jaina could see a figure standing on the platform at the top, and as they got closer, she realized it was Sabine. It dawned on her, as they climbed out of the speeder and Ahsoka told her to grab her things, that this was where Sabine lived. And apparently, where they were staying.

They rode the lift up to the top, and once inside, Jaina could see that Sabine had begun to convert it into a living space. There was a large common area, and three other rooms branching off it. One was more finished than the other two, and Jaina assumed it was Sabine’s. Sabine showed Jaina to one of the rooms and Ahsoka to the other, then disappeared into her own.

Jaina was unrolling the bedroll that Sabine had left for her when Ahsoka appeared at the door.

“Do you remember what I told you about visions you might have?” she asked, leaning against the doorframe and crossing her arms.

“Yes,” Jaina replied. She turned around to face her. “You said they can be interpreted in many ways, and I shouldn't take them at face value.”

Ahsoka said nothing, and Jaina sighed. She already knew what Ahsoka was thinking. “I know, I know. But it seemed so real.”

“They usually do,” Ahsoka replied. “But that doesn’t mean that what you saw will happen exactly as you saw it. Or even happen at all. Remember that.” Jaina nodded. “Get some rest. We start first thing in the morning.” And with that, Ahsoka headed back to her room.

Jaina was awake long before Ahsoka came and got her the next morning. The vision had haunted her every time she’d closed her eyes, and she’d barely slept. Ahsoka didn’t look too pleased when she saw how tired Jaina was, but she didn’t scold her. Which was just as well, because the last thing she needed was a lecture.

She was able to down two cups of caf before Ahsoka herded her out the door and into the speeder. She drove them to a nearby mountain range, where, after navigating through a narrow gorge, they emerged into a large valley that was tucked between the towering peaks. Ahsoka parked the speeder at the entrance to the valley and got out.

“Sabine was able to find this for us,” Ahsoka explained, as Jaina climbed out after her. “It’s completely secluded, and as far as she knows, no one knows about it.” Jaina nodded as she looked around.

“We’ll be spending the majority of our time here,” Ahsoka continued, “in this valley, and these mountains.”

Jaina finished her visual sweep of the area and looked back at Ahsoka, satisfied. It would be awfully hard for someone to sneak up on them or spy on them here, without them knowing it. With seemingly only one way in or out, they’d hear anyone coming long before they saw them.

“Sounds good to me,” Jaina said. “So, what am I going to be learning today?”

After a short meditation session, they got to work. Ahsoka kept her busy the rest of the day, just like she had on Yavin. And, just like on Yavin, they quickly fell into the same routine: wake up, eat, train all day, dinner, then she’d collapse into bed, thoroughly exhausted. The only difference now was that she had absolutely nothing to distract her anymore.

Jaina threw herself into the lessons, determined not to let what she’d seen in the vision come true. Even though she had no idea how she was supposed to stop it. She never spoke about it again, and Ahsoka never brought it up. But it was always there, in the back of her mind, threatening to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune time.

Most days, it was just Jaina and Ahsoka, but Sabine would join them occasionally. Especially if the training that day involved anything related to blasters or sparring. The first time Sabine joined them and Ahsoka had mentioned using blasters, Jaina had protested.

“I already know how to use a blaster,” she’d told Ahsoka, with some disdain.

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” Ahsoka had replied with a smirk. “But you’re not going to be the one shooting.” She gestured to Sabine, who was wearing a smirk of her own. “She is. At you.”

Jaina had looked at her like she was crazy until Ahsoka explained exactly what she meant. Jaina still thought she was crazy, but she also remembered the stories Rex had told her—stories of watching the Jedi walk into a hail of blaster fire and not being touched by it. Being able to anticipate and avoid being shot seemed like a useful skill to have.

In practice, however, it proved far harder to learn. She’d spend those days attempting to evade blaster fire from Sabine, while, at the same time, trying to stay calm and focused enough to anticipate, using the Force, where the shots were going before they got there.

It was not an easy task. No matter how hard Jaina tried, she could never seem to stay focused or calm enough. Especially after being stung for the hundredth time by one of Sabine’s shots. The lessons would always end in frustration, and not just her own. Jaina knew Ahsoka was growing just as frustrated as she was, with her lack of control over her emotions.

The hand-to-hand combat training was no different. Jaina had always had a knack for it, but Sabine was on another level. Jaina might have access to the Force, but she certainly couldn’t use it properly or control it yet. Sabine was just faster, stronger, and better than her. And that annoyed Jaina to no end.

It wasn’t that she disliked Sabine, however. To dislike someone, Jaina needed to be around them more often, and Sabine was rarely around, save for the occasional training session. And even then, after she’d shot Jaina for the hundredth time, or won yet another bout, she was always gracious. She never rubbed it in Jaina’s face or boasted. Jaina respected her for that and found the quiet intensity Sabine brought to the training sessions refreshing.

Outside of the training sessions, though, Sabine kept to herself. So it was a complete surprise that she was able to provide Jaina with an answer to a question that had been plaguing her since she’d arrived on Akiva.

What Jaina couldn’t know, was that the answer Sabine would give her would just create more questions—questions only her mother and father had the answers to.


	11. (Un)answered Questions

Ahsoka was waiting for her when she emerged from the rocks. Seeing Jaina, she looked down at her wrist, then back up again. Jaina pushed harder, knowing she was running out of time. However, this was the fourth time today she’d run the endurance course Ahsoka had set up, and she was more than a little tired.

She reached into the Force for strength and felt it respond; her pace increased slightly and she sprinted for the finish, diving past Ahsoka and sprawling onto the ground. She lay there, breathing hard, wondering if she’d beaten her previous time. Ahsoka’s face suddenly loomed over her. 

“One second—” she paused, her face a complete mask “—faster.” She smiled slightly and Jaina breathed a sigh of relief. “You were able to access the Force more easily that time, weren’t you?” 

“Yes,” Jaina replied breathlessly. “Especially at the end.” She sat up and gladly accepted the bottle of water Ahsoka was offering her. She slowly sipped on it, trying to make the most of the rest she was getting before Ahsoka made her run it yet again. 

“When you’re ready to go, we’ll head back,” Ahsoka said. Jaina shot her an incredulous look.

“We’re done for the day?” she tentatively asked. It was almost too good to be true. They’d been on Lothal for over a month now and Ahsoka had never cut a training session short before.

“I have some business to take care of in the city,” Ahsoka replied. She was being purposefully vague, which told Jaina she was taking care of something for the Rebellion. Asking for details was pointless—she knew Ahsoka would never give them to her. 

“Well then, I’m ready to go right now,” Jaina said, getting to her feet. She couldn’t believe her luck.

They climbed into the speeder and Jaina spent the ride back to their new home trying not to show how excited she was to have the rest of the afternoon off. Especially since the next day was her full day off. From the start, Ahsoka had given them both one day off a week, and Jaina always looked forward to those days the most.

“Do you need anything while I’m there?” Ahsoka asked as Jaina climbed out of the speeder at the tower.

“No,” Jaina replied, shaking her head, “I think I’m good.”

“All right,” Ahsoka said. “I’ll be back later then. Oh, and don’t forget—” she jutted her chin towards the tower. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Jaina interrupted, “I won’t.” She smiled sheepishly, knowing Ahsoka had caught her. Ahsoka smirked, then turned the speeder around and headed towards the city. Jaina shook her head, watching her, wondering how Ahsoka had known she was about to disregard one of the rules she'd laid out for her. 

Sighing, she walked over to the base of the tower and crouched down. Ever the mindful teacher, Ahsoka could turn any mundane task into an opportunity for her to learn or practice something. Getting from the ground to their home at the top was no different.

She paused, feeling the Force build inside her, like a compressed spring waiting to break free. Finally, she released the energy and jumped straight up, aiming for one of the antennas protruding from the tower. This time, she was able to land on top of it, and, after teetering precariously for a second, repeated what she’d just done, aiming for the next antenna above her.

She reached the top in three jumps, noting with a small amount of satisfaction, she’d gone a little bit higher than the last time. Feeling pleased—and more than ready for a nap—she hit the door release and entered the tower. She got no more than two steps before she realized she wasn’t alone.

Sabine was standing in front of the holoprojector speaking to someone, wearing the same surprised expression she was. Jaina had expected to have the place to herself; Sabine was usually out doing whatever it was she did during the day. Judging by Sabine’s face, she hadn’t expected to see Jaina either. 

Jaina mouthed an apology to her and headed straight for her room, trying to mask her interest in who Sabine was speaking to. The woman was wearing armor as well, albeit not as colorful, and seeing her brought back the memory of her parent’s closet again. 

Sabine and the woman resumed their conversation, and as they did, Jaina was overcome with homesickness. She hadn’t heard her native language spoken since she’d left Mandalore. She sank onto her bed, smiling as she listened to them. She couldn’t hear them clearly, but judging from Sabine’s irritated tone, she had a feeling the other woman was her mother.

Sabine told the woman goodbye, and Jaina walked out of her room as Sabine was switching the holoprojector off. 

“Your mother?” she asked Sabine, in Mando’a. Sabine huffed and made a face.

“Yeah,” she said, automatically replying in their native tongue. “I know she means well—” She stopped and stared at Jaina. It confirmed what Jaina already suspected: no one had told Sabine where she was from.

“How do you know Mando’a?” Sabine asked, switching to Basic and eyeing her suspiciously. 

“How do you think?” Jaina replied, still in Mando’a. Sabine studied her for a moment, then the suspicion left her face. 

“Huh,” she said, switching back to Mando’a. “Interesting. Where did you grow up?”

“On Mandalore,” Jaina replied. “In Sundari. What about you?”

“On Mandalore as well, but also on Krownest,” Sabine replied. Jaina nodded. She'd heard of Krownest but didn't know anything else about the planet other than that it was covered in ice and snow. 

“So why are you here on Lothal, and not there?” Jaina asked. She was aware of the unrest on their homeworld and considering Sabine used to be a rebel, she was surprised she hadn’t gone back to help the resistance that had sprung up there.

Sabine arched her brow. “I could ask you the same question.” 

“It’s…complicated,” Jaina replied, after a moment. She wasn’t about to offer any more information, not yet. “What about you?”

“Probably just as complicated,” Sabine replied with a faint smile. “Where’s Ahsoka?”

“Said she had to take care of something in town,” Jaina replied, “so she cut our training early and gave me the rest of the day off.”

“Lucky you,” Sabine said. “Well, I’ve got nothing else to do today either, so….got any ideas?”

It took Jaina a moment to realize Sabine was asking her if she wanted to hang out. She slowly looked around the room, thinking. “Not really…”

“Oh wait, I’ve got one,” Sabine said, and quickly disappeared into her room. She was soon back, carrying something in her hand that looked vaguely familiar. “When’s the last time you played Cubikahd?”

That’s why she’d recognized it. Jaina thought for a moment, then smiled. “Years ago. Probably when I was at the Academy in Sundari.” 

Sabine’s eyebrows shot up and she snapped her fingers. “That’s why you looked so familiar! I think we were there at the same time. Did you ever hang out in Quinn and Ryker’s room?” 

A grin broke out on Jaina’s face. “I did.” 

Quinn and Ryker had been two of her close friends at the Academy, and their room had been the gathering place for pretty much everyone in their class. She’d had a lot of firsts in that room: first taste of alcohol, first kiss, first real fistfight. It was also the first time she felt like she truly belonged somewhere; it had helped to set her on the path she’d eventually take with the Empire. 

“If I’m remembering correctly,” Sabine said, setting the game down on the table, “you were pretty good at this game.” 

Jaina chuckled. “Being Force-sensitive has its advantages.” She hadn’t known then that’s what had helped her, but she did now. She’d rarely lost, and had made quite a few credits off those who’d dared to challenge her.

Sabine raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh, so you cheated?”

“Not exactly,” Jaina said, laughing. “Teenagers are terrible at hiding their emotions. I just took advantage of that.” She shrugged. “And I’ve always been good at reading people. It’s why—” she stopped. 

She was about to say, "it’s why I was recruited to be a loyalty officer", but she wasn’t certain how much Sabine knew about her. If she hadn’t known they shared a homeworld, then there was a good chance she didn’t know Jaina had only recently left the Empire. They got along well enough, at least so far, and Jaina didn’t want to ruin it.

Sabine was looking at her, waiting for her to continue. “It’s why, what?”

Jaina hesitated, then replied: “It’s why I won all the time.” Not completely a lie, but not the whole truth either. 

“I don’t think I remember seeing you in there, though,” she told Sabine, eager to change the subject.

“I wasn’t in there all the time,” Sabine said, turning the game on. “And when I was, I knew better than to challenge you to a match.”

“Well, let’s see if I still got it,” Jaina said, taking a seat across from her. Conversation ceased as they dove right in. All the years of not playing had left her rusty, and Sabine quickly beat her.

In the next game, however, Jaina found her stride. Without her face masked by her helmet, Jaina was able to easily pick up on the same subtle cues she’d used all those years ago. She handily beat Sabine, leaving Sabine shaking her head in amusement after it was over. 

“Now I’m really glad I never challenged you,” Sabine said. “I would’ve lost all my credits.”

Jaina grinned at her. “It’s a good thing we’re just playing for fun, then.” She looked around the room. “And, since we’re just playing for fun, and have nothing else to do…got anything to drink around here?” 

Sabine looked confused for a second, then her face slowly broke into a grin as she realized what Jaina was talking about. “Now you’re speaking my language.” She got up and went to a cabinet in the half-finished kitchen area, and pulled out a bottle of what Jaina recognized as Chandrillan whiskey. 

“Ahsoka won’t mind?” Sabine asked as she poured them both a drink. 

“Ahsoka’s not here,” Jaina replied, shrugging. “And I have tomorrow off, too, so no, I don’t think she’ll care.”

“Fair enough,” Sabine said, resetting the game for another round.

“So…when did you leave the Empire?” Jaina asked while Sabine contemplated her move. She was genuinely curious as to how Sabine ended up as a rebel. After hearing what happened to Emry, she wondered if something similar had happened to Sabine. 

Sabine frowned, and Jaina could tell she’d touched a nerve. Still, she answered her. “Right at the end of our second year at the Academy.”

That was a surprise, and before Jaina could ask why, Sabine continued: “They made me do things that were wrong…things I didn’t agree with. So I left.” 

Something told her not to push the subject any further, so she didn’t. Sabine made her move, and they sat quietly for a moment, while Jaina pondered hers.

“What about you?” Sabine asked after Jaina took her turn. “When did you leave?”

It was Jaina’s turn to frown. She’d walked herself right into the question by asking Sabine first. “I, uh…just recently left.” 

Sabine’s head shot up and her eyes narrowed. “How recently?” 

Jaina counted up the months in her head and was surprised at how much time had already passed. “Almost five months ago.” 

Sabine stared at the cube for a long moment, but Jaina could tell she wasn’t thinking about the game. “So,” she said slowly, “you only left five months ago. That means—” she looked at Jaina, shocked. “How the hell did they not find out about you?”

“Oh, they eventually figured it out,” Jaina replied wryly. “That’s why I left. You asked me why I’m here on Lothal and not on Mandalore? That’s why.”

Sabine slowly nodded. “Because the Empire would’ve assumed that’d be the first place you’d go. Back home.” Jaina nodded in agreement, and Sabine suddenly looked stricken. “Do your mother and father know?”

“About what?” Jaina asked. “Me? Or the fact that I deserted the Empire and now they’re hunting me?” 

“Both,” Sabine answered. “If I know the Empire, they would’ve gone to Mandalore anyway. Your family could be in danger. Have you spoken to them?”

Jaina shook her head. “No. I didn’t even know what I was until Ahsoka told me. There’s no way they could’ve known. And they don’t know that I’ve deserted either. Even if the Empire questioned them, they’d have nothing to say. I haven’t spoken to them in six years.”

She’d expected the same look of shock from Sabine that she’d gotten from Emry when she’d told her, but Sabine just frowned and sat back in her chair. “Well,” she said, “what about the rest of your family? Do they know anything?” 

Jaina shook her head again. “It was just me, my mother, and father. I don’t have any other family.” 

That got a reaction from Sabine, where it hadn’t from Emry. It was the same reaction she’d gotten from her classmates at the Academy in Sundari when they’d found out. Everyone she’d met there had at least a couple of siblings, and countless other relatives in the clan their family belonged to. She seemed to be the only one that didn’t. It had bothered her then—just one more thing that made her different than everyone else—but she’d forgotten about it once she left Mandalore. 

“To be honest,” Jaina continued, “I don’t even know if they’re still alive. And with the Empire looking for me, I have no way of finding out.” 

She’d lost track of whose turn it was, so while Sabine sat, quietly thinking, Jaina drained her glass and poured herself another one. The old urge to drink until she couldn’t feel anything was back, and she could almost hear Rowen’s voice scolding her. 

“I might be able to help,” Sabine finally said, breaking the silence. “I could ask my mother to look into it. Quietly, of course.”

“Do you think she would?” Jaina asked. “Wouldn’t it seem suspicious, you suddenly asking her for information about two people she’s never met?”

“Yeah, it probably would,” Sabine conceded. “But,” she continued, after a moment, “I could say I’m asking on behalf of the Alliance. I’m kind of their go-between with our people anyway, so it wouldn’t be all that unusual if I make it seem like it’s coming from them.” 

“That could work,” Jaina said thoughtfully. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to try.” She tried to sound casual, but she could hear the hope behind her words. She wanted, no needed, to know if they were still alive or not; this was the best chance she’d had so far, to find out. 

“You’ll have to give me some more details about them,” Sabine said, “so I can pass them along to my mother. Their names would be a good start.”

“Leena and Hiram Kavos,” Jaina replied. 

“Hmm, your last name’s not familiar to me, but it might be to her,” Sabine said. “What else?”

“I’m not sure what else would be helpful,” Jaina said. “They owned a shop in the eastern district, a few blocks off the main square. We lived above it. But I’m not sure if it’s still there or not. I haven’t been back in six years either.

“And,” she continued, “they had armor, like yours. I never saw them wear it. They kept it hanging, in a closet. I found it when I was a kid, and only saw it once. Seeing yours reminded me of it.”

Sabine arched her brow. “That’s interesting…and could be more helpful than you realize. Do you remember seeing any markings on it at all?”

Jaina closed her eyes, picturing the armor. “Nothing specific, no.” She opened her eyes again. “But it wasn’t as colorful as yours. Grey and blue were the only colors I remember seeing.” 

Sabine cocked her head and peered closely at her. “You’re absolutely sure you don’t have any other family besides your parents?”

“Yes,” Jaina replied firmly. “It was just us.”

“Okay,” Sabine said after a moment. “I’ll ask my mother to look into it the next time I speak to her.” 

“Thank you,” Jaina said, “I really appreciate it.” 

Sabine smiled. “You’re welcome.” She then frowned at the cube. “Do you know who’s turn it is?” 

“Not a clue,” Jaina replied and they both laughed. Sabine reset it and they fell silent, giving the game their full attention. Jaina beat her again, and then one more time before Sabine decided they should do something else. 

“You just don’t like to lose,” Jaina said, grinning. She’d finally found the one thing she could beat Sabine at and was enjoying herself. 

“Oh, and you do?” Sabine retorted. Jaina shrugged, still grinning. “I came up with this idea, so now it’s your turn.”

“Okay,” Jaina said slowly, thinking. “How about you teach me that move you used the other day during training?”

“Oh, you mean the one where I had you pinned in ten seconds?” Jaina rolled her eyes. “No, I think I’ll keep that one to myself for now. Can’t have you learning all my secrets.” She grinned at Jaina. “But, there are a few I can show you if you want.”

Jaina nodded and they cleared a space in the room to use. The mood was far less serious than it usually was when they trained; of course, that probably had something to do with Ahsoka not being around and the bottle of whiskey being over half-gone. And, being as competitive as they were, the impromptu lesson inevitably dissolved into an all-out grappling match.

Jaina had finally managed to get an edge over Sabine and almost had her pinned when Ahsoka walked into the room. She eyed them both, along with the bottle of whiskey sitting on the table. Jaina immediately froze, afraid she was going to be in trouble. Sabine, on the other hand, took advantage of Jaina’s distraction and broke her hold. Within seconds, she had Jaina pinned. Jaina grunted in frustration and shook herself free.

“Next time,” Ahsoka said, smirking, “don’t allow yourself to become distracted.” And without another word, she walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. Jaina stared after her, shaking her head. 

“Yeah,” Sabine said, playfully shoving her, “what she said.” She went to shove her again, but Jaina anticipated it. She grabbed her arm and twisted, and the fight was on. 

Later on, while lying in bed, Jaina realized two things. The first was that she and Sabine were more alike than she’d originally thought. And she’d also helped ease some of the aching homesickness Jaina had been feeling of late, and her offer of trying to help find her parents meant a lot. 

The second was something she hadn’t given a second thought to, until today. The voice at the temple site had asked her who she was; she’d had no answer for him because, at the time, she thought she didn’t know. The truth was, she’d always known. The Empire had just made her forget. More to the point, they’d—quite literally—beaten it out of her, ensuring she would conform. Ensuring her complete loyalty to them. 

She’d been so young and naïve back then, she never realized what was happening. Her people were proud; proud of their heritage, their culture, their traditions. And they were fiercely loyal to one another. Her parents hadn’t raised her to think or act any differently. Without realizing she was doing it, Sabine had helped remind her that, above all else, she was a Mandalorian.

A few weeks later, she was relaxing in her room after training when Sabine appeared at the door. “I spoke with my mother today,” she said. There was some hesitation in her voice, and Jaina immediately sat up and steeled herself.

“Your parents are alive and on Mandalore.” She stopped, and Jaina knew there was something she wasn’t saying.

“But…” Jaina prompted. 

“But,” Sabine said, taking a deep breath, “they’re not in Sundari anymore.” 

“Okay,” Jaina said slowly. She should’ve been happy, but something in Sabine’s tone and body language told her it wasn’t all good news. “So, where are they?”

Sabine hesitated, then sighed. “I don’t know how else to say this. They’re with your family. Your clan.” 

Jaina stared at her, not sure she heard her right. “My…what?”

“Your clan,” Sabine repeated. “That’s why it didn’t take long to find them. My mother didn’t even have to look. They’ve been fighting alongside her and all the other clans, against the Empire. That armor you saw? It was theirs.” 

Sabine started to look uncomfortable under Jaina’s harsh gaze, as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing. She slowly shook her head. 

“So they lied to me,” she bit out angrily. Sabine flinched at her tone. 

“I’m sorry,” Sabine said sympathetically. “They must’ve had their reasons. But they’re alive. And there’s no way the Empire can find them if they decide to go looking.” Her tone was placating, and Jaina knew she was trying to calm her down.

“You’re right,” she replied flatly. “Thanks for letting me know.”

Sabine inclined her head slightly, then she was gone. Jaina got up and shut the door behind her. They lied to me, she thought over and over, as she angrily paced the floor. They’d been lying to her, her whole life. And if they’d been lying about something as important as this, what else had they lied about? 

Her anger boiled over and she grabbed the first thing she saw—two of the small mechanical parts Ahsoka had given her to practice with—and threw them as hard as she could. They bounced off the metal wall with a satisfying bang that echoed around the small room. 

She stopped pacing and sat back down on her bed, trying to get her anger under control. She knew if she didn’t, it wouldn’t be long before Ahsoka came in, and she wasn’t in the mood for another lecture about her lack of control.

Sabine was right: they must’ve had their reasons. But until she was able to ask them, she’d never know why. And who knew if she’d ever get the chance to ask. It wasn’t like she could hop on the next transport home. She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. 

Patience. It was something Ahsoka incessantly preached, and it was something Jaina didn’t have much of. But, right now, she had no choice. She needed to be patient. Her mission was here, and she intended to see it through to the end.

But as soon as it was over; as soon as she was out from under the Empire’s thumb, she was going home.


	12. Vital Lessons

Jaina grunted as she slammed into the ground. Sabine had knocked her flat on her back—again. She was too slow to react, and Sabine pounced on her, pinning her. Her first instinct was to use the Force to push her off, but it was against the rules Ahsoka had recently laid out for their bouts. 

The reason she gave was that Jaina needed to become a better fighter without using it, but Jaina knew it was just to make the fights more even. Ahsoka knew, as well as she did, that Jaina could end the fight very quickly if she was allowed to use the Force. 

Sabine cocked her arm back and Jaina instinctively crossed her arms in front of her face. The punch never came. Instead, Sabine grabbed her arms and trapped them against her face. She quickly reached behind Jaina’s head, securing her hold so she couldn’t move. With her arms pinned and the full weight of Sabine’s body on top of her, Jaina couldn’t do anything but squirm as she tried to break free.

Keeping her arms pinned, Sabine slowly rolled Jaina over onto her stomach, trapping her arms underneath her. Jaina had no idea how to break free without using the Force, and she was rapidly growing angry. She tried to push herself up, but couldn’t get any leverage. Grunting in frustration, she tried rolling from side to side, but Sabine was in full armor and too heavy to throw off.

Suddenly, Sabine’s weight shifted and she saw her opening. With Sabine still on her back, she pushed up to her hands and knees…and immediately learned that was a mistake. Sabine deftly slipped one arm around her neck and the other around the back of her head and squeezed, cutting off Jaina’s air.

Jaina violently rolled them both, throwing Sabine onto her back, hoping the force of it would break the hold on her throat. But Sabine’s grip was like a vice, and all it did was put her in a better position to increase the pressure. 

Sabine wrapped her legs around Jaina’s waist, dug her heels into the insides of Jaina’s thighs, and leaned back. Any leverage Jaina might’ve had from her legs was now gone. She frantically writhed and pulled at Sabine’s arms, trying to find any way to break the hold, but it was futile. White spots swam before her eyes, and she quickly reached down and gave Sabine’s leg two hard taps. 

Sabine released her immediately. Jaina rolled over onto her hands and knees, coughing and gasping for air. She slammed her fist into the ground in frustration. Absolutely nothing was going her way today. 

She’d woken up in a bad mood and the day had only gone downhill from there. She had no desire or motivation to train, and it was showing. This was the third match in a row she’d lost. And with each loss, her anger and frustration only increased. She looked up and saw Ahsoka watching her, the disappointment evident on her face. 

She knew she needed to get control, but she didn’t want to, not this time. The anger felt good, powerful. Normally, she’d force it down, swallowing it before it could build. But now, she let it flow through her. Her body responded instantly to it: she could feel it coursing through every cell, like crackling electricity.

Ahsoka was still watching her, and Jaina scowled at her, daring her to say something. She knew Ahsoka could feel her anger and she didn’t care. She felt stronger than she ever had and was suddenly itching for a fight. 

“Let’s take a break,” Ahsoka said. She turned and started toward the speeder that was parked at the entrance to the training area. 

Jaina didn’t make any attempt to move and continued to glower at Ahsoka’s back. Sabine stood up and offered her a hand, which Jaina looked at and promptly swatted away. She didn’t need Sabine’s help to stand up. 

“Fine, whatever,” Sabine said, rolling her eyes. She turned and began walking towards Ahsoka and the speeder. 

As Jaina watched her walk away, something inside of her snapped, and her anger spilled over. She stood up and reached through the Force; in one swift motion, she picked Sabine up and threw her as hard as she could into the nearest rock. Sabine crumpled to the ground and didn’t move.

Screw the rules. She was going to finish the fight her way. She quickly strode towards Sabine, seeing with some satisfaction, that she still wasn’t moving. She got no more than five steps before an unseen hand violently pushed her backward. 

Stars exploded before her eyes and she felt a sickening crunch in her ribs as she slammed into something, hard. She fell to the ground and looked up; Ahsoka was now standing in a defensive position in front of Sabine, who was still lying motionless on the ground. 

The look on Ahsoka’s face was one Jaina had never seen before. Even in the haze of anger, it made her pause. A moment of clarity forced its way through, and she suddenly felt sick.

The vision. It was coming true. The exact thing she swore she would never let happen, just did. Her eyes flicked between Ahsoka and Sabine, and she shakily got to her feet. The anger was still pulsing through her, and before she could stop herself, she took a hesitant step towards them.

In an instant, Ahsoka’s lightsabers were in her hands and ignited. Jaina froze, staring at her. “You don’t want to do this.” It was the same deadly warning Ahsoka had given her in her vision.

She hesitated for only a second longer, then turned and stumbled off towards the mountains. She had no idea where she was going or what she was doing; she just needed to put as much distance as she could between herself, and Ahsoka and Sabine before she made the situation worse than it already was.

She headed deeper into the mountains, winding her way through the narrow spaces between the rocks. She was in a daze, and the only thing she could feel was the anger still pumping powerfully through her. She’d managed to gain a small amount of control once she’d realized her vision was coming true, but that restraint was now rapidly slipping away.

Eventually, it broke completely. She stopped walking and screamed. It echoed loudly off the rocks but didn’t satisfy her sudden need to destroy something. She lifted her arms out to her sides and reached through the Force, using it to push as hard as she could against the rocks.

She felt them move and pushed harder. Every ounce of her rage was fueling the powerful energy flowing through her. It was wrong—she knew it was wrong—but she didn’t stop. Moments later, the rocks began to buckle under the pressure. A guttural growl escaped her lips as she pushed even harder. Nothing was going to stop her from destroying them.

As the satisfying sound of stone cracking and breaking started to reverberate around her, an image clawed its way through the haze of anger. Her eyes flew open.

“Emry! No!” Her focus wavered, then broke. She released the rocks and fell to her knees, panting. She tried to force the image from her mind, but it had seared itself there and refused to budge. 

“No, no, no…” she mumbled. “What have I done?” The image of Emry dying by her own hands was instantly sobering. The full weight of what she’d done to Sabine came crashing down and waves of revulsion rocked her.

Sucking in deep breaths, she sat down, fighting the urge to vomit. The anger was still there, but the fight had gone out of her. She felt empty and very much alone. She closed her eyes and sat there, waiting for the anger to subside enough to try and clear her mind. 

Ahsoka had lectured her countless times about losing control. About the constant tug-of-war between the light and the dark and how, if she wasn’t careful, the dark could take over completely. The voice at the temple had gone even further and blatantly warned her that it was already starting to take hold. She’d listened to them both, but never truly heard them. 

Until now. And her understanding had come too late, and with devastating consequences. Her temper had always been an issue, even as a child. It had had consequences then too, but once she joined the Empire, those consequences ceased to exist. There, anger was encouraged; it helped instill fear, and fear is what a loyalty officer thrived on. 

But this wasn’t the Empire and she wasn’t a loyalty officer anymore. And if she wasn’t careful, she was going to destroy everything she’d worked so hard to build over the last few months. She may already have. A line had been crossed and she didn’t know if Ahsoka or Sabine would ever forgive her. 

She couldn’t go back to them, not yet. She was going to stay here, for as long as it took to figure out how to find the balance she so desperately needed. The anger slowly began to fade and finally, she was able to empty her mind. She sank into a deep meditation, letting its calming effect take over. But it wasn’t long before she came face-to-face with her demons.

She’d tried so hard, over the years, to bury them. To shove them so far down she would never have to think about them, or what she’d done to them. But they had always been there. And now the Force was showing them to her, one by one, parading them in front of her like some evil slideshow.

She saw their faces, knew their names. She remembered each crime that the Empire had accused them of. And she could recall, in vivid detail, how she’d coerced confessions from every single one of them. The things she’d done in service to the Empire had been vile; they’d also been her duty, and she’d carried them out without question. Her loyalty to both her job and the Empire had been above reproach.

But after each confession, each time she’d crossed yet another line she’d told herself she wouldn’t, the guilt, and regret, and self-loathing would build. Each time piling onto the last, eating away at her, until she became numb to the suffering she caused. 

She couldn’t remain numb to it any longer. All the guilt, regret, and hate she’d tried to bury bubbled up as she watched the memories flick by. And as they continued, she made herself a promise: she would never willingly allow herself to harm another being or cause them suffering unless it was absolutely necessary.

The slideshow ended as abruptly as it had started, and she was left with nothing but the emotional pain it had brought. It enveloped her, weighed her down, threatening to smother her completely. 

"Let go." The gentle words came out of nowhere, spoken by the same voice from the temple. It was a simple command, giving her the permission she didn’t realize she needed, to forgive herself. She couldn’t change the past, but she needed to make peace with it. Forgiving herself was the first step.

And as soon as she did, she felt the emotional weight begin to lift, as the regret, and hate, and guilt slowly melted away. They faded into the Force, and when they were finally gone, she was left with the most peaceful sensation she’d ever felt. She leaned into it and wrapped it around her, enjoying the happiness it brought.

She wanted to stay there forever, but she knew, eventually, she needed to go back. She had to face Ahsoka and Sabine at some point. She took her time, reluctantly pulling herself back to the mountains. When she finally opened her eyes, it was obvious something had shifted inside her. 

Before, she’d always felt anxious and uneasy, like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff, where one wrong move would send her careening over the side. Now, there was only a quiet calmness. The anxiety had been replaced by tranquility. Balance wasn’t an illusion anymore; it felt real, like standing on solid ground. 

She slowly looked around, getting her bearings, and cringing as she saw the damage she’d caused to the rocks. She craned her neck to look at the sky and winced in pain. Now that the anger and adrenaline had worn off, she was starting to feel the effects of what Ahsoka had done to her. She gently uncrossed her legs to get the feeling back in them, feeling new stabs of pain with every movement.

Gingerly, she got to her feet and realized she had no idea where to go. She hadn’t been paying attention when she’d blindly stumbled through the mountains. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trusting her instincts to give her a clue. After a moment, she opened them again and set off in, what she hoped, was the right direction.

Every step brought on the same searing pain it had after she’d broken her ribs on Akiva, and she knew they were probably broken again. She wrapped her arms tightly around her sides, trying to lessen their movement as best she could, but it didn’t help much. Her progress was agonizingly slow, yet she had no choice. She knew Sabine and Ahsoka weren’t coming for her; if they were, they’d have found her by now.

When she’d come out of meditation, she hadn’t been sure if the sun was rising or setting. Now, however, she realized it was rising, and her heart sank. There was no way Ahsoka and Sabine would’ve waited for her. And she couldn’t blame them, especially since she’d been gone all night. Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact that she’d be walking all the way home.

An hour later, she finally emerged from the rocks into the training area, and almost collapsed from relief when she saw the speeder was still parked exactly where it had been the day before. Ahsoka was sitting on the ground in front of it, clearly meditating, but she didn’t see Sabine anywhere. She undid her arms from their death grip around her ribs and tried to stand up as straight as she could as she approached Ahsoka.

Sensing her, Ahsoka stood up and leaned into the speeder. A few seconds later Sabine’s head popped up, and Jaina cringed as she watched Sabine gingerly climb out. She started walking towards her, and even though Sabine was doing her best to hide it, there was a noticeable limp in her step. 

Shame joined the guilt running through her, and she steeled herself for whatever came next. She didn’t sense any anger or fear coming from Sabine; as usual, she felt nothing from Ahsoka. Sabine stopped a few steps in front of Ahsoka and waited for Jaina, her face unreadable.

Once she reached Sabine, Jaina stopped and held her gaze for a moment. “Sabine, I—” She paused, emotion suddenly threatening to overwhelm her. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. 

“Sabine, I am so sorry. I know that doesn’t even come close to making up for what I did. It was unforgivable, and I wish I could take it back. I’m sorry…” Her voice trailed off. She knew there was nothing she could say that could make it right, or change what happened.

Sabine crossed her arms and regarded her coolly for a long moment. Finally, her face softened slightly. “I forgive you. I know it wasn’t your fault, not entirely.” Jaina’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I was furious with you,” Sabine continued, “at least until Ahsoka explained what happened. I understand enough about the Force to know what the dark side is…I guess I just never realized how strong it could be.” Jaina slowly nodded. Neither did she, until yesterday. 

“But when you didn’t come back, I won’t lie, I got worried. I wanted to go look for you, but she—” Sabine jerked her thumb in Ahsoka’s direction “—wouldn’t let me. Said you needed to figure it out on your own.” 

Jaina nodded again and solemnly looked at Ahsoka. “She was right.” Ahsoka inclined her head ever so slightly and Jaina returned the gesture. She didn’t know how she did it, but Ahsoka always seemed to know exactly what Jaina needed, before she ever did.

Turning her attention back to Sabine, she stuck her arm out. “Still friends?”

Sabine snorted, then grabbed Jaina’s arm and pulled her into a hug. “Of course. But you do owe me now, just so you know.” 

It was obvious that Sabine was in as much pain as she was, but Jaina gritted her teeth, determined not to show it. “Absolutely. I’ll do whatever you want. Within reason, that is,” she hurriedly added, and Sabine chuckled. 

“I think it's time we get back,” Ahsoka finally said, gesturing to the speeder. Jaina helped Sabine climb in, doing her best to hide her own discomfort. Along with the excruciating pain in her ribs, her head was also throbbing. The speeder ride back seemed to take forever, and every bump they hit was torture.

Once they got back to the tower, Sabine immediately went to her room and Jaina made a beeline for hers. All she could think about was taking a hot shower, then, hopefully, sleeping for days. Unfortunately, Ahsoka had other ideas. 

She followed Jaina in and closed the door behind her. Jaina had to suppress a strong urge to sigh. She should’ve known Ahsoka wouldn’t let her off the hook that easily.

“Are you hurt?” Ahsoka asked, eyeing her closely. 

“No,” Jaina quickly lied. Ahsoka blew out an exasperated breath.

“You know, for someone who used to make a living detecting lies, you’re a terrible liar.” She strode across the room and stood in front of Jaina. “Let me see,” she demanded. 

Knowing this was a battle she wasn’t going to win, Jaina reluctantly lifted her shirt. Ahsoka immediately frowned as she saw the damage. Jaina tried to look, but the movement sent more sharp pain through her skull and ribs.

“It’s not as bad as it looks, I swear,” she said. “I don’t think anything’s broken…at least, it doesn’t feel like it.” It was another lie, and Ahsoka knew it.

In response, she gently pushed on Jaina’s ribs. She may as well have stuck a knife in her side; Jaina yelped in pain and twisted away from her. “Okay, okay! They’re probably broken.” She hung her head. “But I deserve far worse than this for what I did.”

“It wasn’t meant as a punishment,” Ahsoka chided her. “I did what I had to do to protect Sabine. And you.” Jaina cocked her head, confused. 

“What would you have done had I not pushed you away from her?” Ahsoka asked. Her voice carried a slight accusation, and Jaina looked away, ashamed. “Do you think you would’ve been able to stop yourself, on your own?”

“No,” Jaina said quietly. Ahsoka didn’t say anything, choosing instead to let Jaina’s admission of failure, hang in the air. They both knew what would’ve happened had Ahsoka not intervened. 

“You could’ve continued your attack, even after I pushed you,” Ahsoka said, resuming her injury assessment. “I know how angry you were. You wanted to keep going. You almost did.” 

Jaina nodded and sucked in a sharp breath as Ahsoka prodded at a spot on the back of her head. “So, what stopped you?” Ahsoka asked.

“Besides your lightsabers?” Ahsoka ignored her attempt at humor, and Jaina thought for a moment. “The vision I had when we were at the old temple site. In it, I saw myself do exactly what I did to Sabine yesterday.

“When I realized the vision, at least that part, had come true…I was horrified.” Her eyes suddenly burned, and she blinked back tears. “I didn’t know what else to do, so I left. I didn’t have control and I didn’t want to make the situation any worse than it already was.”

Ahsoka laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I’m proud of you. You had two choices yesterday, and you made the right one. I told you when we started that you were going to be tested, did I not?” Jaina nodded. 

“Yesterday was the first time you were truly tested by the dark side, but it won’t be the last. It’s a battle you’re going to have to fight your entire life. But, making the right choice the first time, as you did yesterday, will make it that much easier to do again, the next time.”

Jaina nodded again. Now that she knew what it felt like, she definitely felt more prepared. It also helped that she was finally able to fully understand what Ahsoka had been lecturing her about for all these months.

“Stay right here,” Ahsoka instructed. She quickly left the room, returning a minute later with a chair, a medpack, and a ration pack with a bottle of water. She set the chair down, put the rations and water on it, and got a large package of bandaging out of the medpack. 

“Lift your shirt again,” she directed, and Jaina complied. Ahsoka wrapped the bandage tightly around her ribs. “That should at least keep you from injuring them any further. There’s not much else you can do except rest and let them heal. As you already know.” Jaina sighed and nodded.

Ahsoka picked up the ration pack and water and handed them to her. “Sit,” she ordered. Once again, Jaina complied but gave Ahsoka a curious look as she sat. 

“You have a pretty good-sized cut on the back of your head,” she explained. Jaina automatically reached around and felt the back of her head. Sure enough, she could feel dried blood. “I’m going to stitch it up, so it doesn’t get infected.”

She gritted her teeth as Ahsoka administered a numbing shot and went to work. It was silent for a while before anyone spoke.

“As a loyalty officer,” Jaina said quietly, “you’re feared by everyone. Everywhere you go, people go out of their way to make sure you’re aware of their loyalty to the Empire. They’ll give you anything you want, just so you won’t report them. It didn’t matter where I was or who I was dealing with. I got whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it, and exactly how I wanted it.” 

“That’s a lot of power to give someone, especially at such a young age,” Ahsoka replied. Jaina started to nod, then remembered she needed to hold still.

“It is,” she agreed. “Too much power. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take advantage of it. Even if I was off-duty.” She grimaced. She’d taken advantage of it just as much off-duty as she did when she was on. Especially after she’d had a few too many drinks. Fraternization was expressly forbidden in the Imperial ranks, but no one said no to a loyalty officer.

“I also didn’t have to answer to anyone,” she continued. “Well, anyone other than ISB High Command. I operated completely alone and had free reign to conduct my investigations however I saw fit. High Command didn’t care how we got the results, as long as we got them.

“It didn’t matter to them if a subject died during an interrogation. I can’t even count the number of times I lost control and pushed a subject too hard or too far. There were absolutely no consequences for anything we did.”

She sighed. She didn’t know why she was telling Ahsoka all this, but it was making her feel better, so she continued: “I didn’t care about anyone or anything other than myself. I was selfish, controlling, manipulative, and completely hooked on the power I had been given. And I was angry. I hated myself for the things I did, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t know how to.”

“But all that’s changed now, hasn’t it?” Ahsoka said. She’d stopped tending to Jaina’s head and was now quietly listening as she poured her heart out.

“Yes,” Jaina replied. “Being forced into desertion was the best thing that ever happened to me. I never would’ve left on my own. Unfortunately, I also assumed I could leave what I’d done behind as well. I was wrong. I know that now.

“I should’ve told you afterward, but a voice spoke to me during my vision at the temple. He warned me that I needed to let go of my past. He said if I didn’t, there would be consequences. The Force even showed me the consequences, and I still didn’t listen.”

“But now you understand,” Ahsoka said quietly. 

“Now, I understand,” Jaina agreed. “It’s not just about me anymore. My actions…they affect everyone around me. Everyone I care about, even people I don’t know. It’s not something I’m used to. But I’m going to be better. I have to be. The person who I used to be is gone, and she’s never coming back.”

Ahsoka walked around and stood in front of her. Jaina looked up, a little surprised to see her looking so pleased. “This is why I told Sabine you needed to figure it out on your own. There’s nothing I could’ve done to teach you the lesson you needed to learn. Only you could do that.”

Jaina nodded, then smiled faintly. “The Force helped, too. And you were the one that taught me to trust it, so you did help, in a way.” 

A small smile tugged at Ahsoka’s lips. “So you have been paying attention.” 

“Most of the time,” Jaina replied with a slight smirk. Then she got serious again. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Of course,” Ahsoka answered. 

“The voice at the temple also told me there was a darkness growing inside me. Is that why you agreed to teach me? Because you felt it, too?”

“Partially,” Ahsoka said, after a moment. “I sensed it, yes, and felt like it was my responsibility to teach you so it didn’t grow any further. But also, you’re not the only one who had a vision foretelling our meeting.”

“Really?” Jaina asked, surprised. “You had one too?”

Ahsoka nodded. “The Force wanted us to meet, and now I believe it wants me to train you. For what, I’m not sure yet, but I think in time, we’ll know.” 

Jaina nodded, thinking. “So,” she said slowly, almost too afraid to ask, “do you still feel it? Is it still there? The darkness?”

Ahsoka closed her eyes and took her time answering. Jaina, for her part, sat quietly and waited. “No,” Ahsoka finally said. “It’s not. Whatever you did last night, worked. But that’s not to say it won’t ever come back. Like I said earlier, it’s going to be a constant battle you’ll have to fight.” 

Jaina nodded. She’d be ready next time if it ever came back. “Is there anything else you want to talk about?” Ahsoka asked.

“No,” Jaina replied, shaking her head. “Thanks for stitching me up. And listening.” 

“Of course,” Ahsoka said. She motioned to the ration pack and water still in Jaina’s hands. “Eat and get some rest. No more physical training for now, not until you heal. Don’t worry,” she said, catching Jaina’s disgruntled reaction, “there’s still plenty of things we can work on that don’t require physical activity.” 

“Yeah, boring things,” Jaina mumbled under her breath. Ahsoka heard her and raised an eyebrow. “I mean, yes, lots of fun things we can do…” She grinned sheepishly and Ahsoka shook her head, feigning exasperation, but Jaina could tell she was trying not to laugh.

After she’d gone, Jaina quickly scarfed down the ration pack, then took the hottest shower she could stand. The water hurt like hell on her ribs and the cut on her head, but aftward she felt much better. Finally fed and relaxed from the shower, she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She was out on the platform meditating a few days later when she heard it. It was an unusual sound; one she’d never heard before. She opened her eyes and stood up, trying to figure out where it was coming from. It started to fade, and, seeing nothing, she sat back down and closed her eyes again. 

A moment later, it came back, stronger this time. There was a sort of urgency to it that Jaina didn’t understand but couldn’t ignore. What the hell, she thought, and got up again; she walked all the way around the platform, but still saw nothing. 

Thoroughly confused, she walked back inside to find Ahsoka and Sabine sitting at the table, arguing over what looked like a motor, lying in pieces in front of them. It was amusing, and she watched them for a minute before speaking. 

“Do you guys hear that?” she asked, raising her voice over them. They immediately stopped arguing and turned to her, confused.

“Hear what?” Sabine asked. Everyone was quiet for a moment, listening. Jaina could still clearly hear it. Surely, they could as well. “I don’t hear anything,” Sabine continued, eyeing her skeptically. 

“Seriously?” Jaina asked incredulously. “You don’t hear that?” She looked at Ahsoka, who was regarding her thoughtfully. “Do you hear it?” she asked her.

“No, I don’t hear anything either,” Ahsoka answered apologetically. She was still looking at Jaina thoughtfully. “What does it sound like?”

“I don’t know. Like something’s whistling. Or humming. But it’s not annoying. I looked around outside but didn’t see anything that could be causing it. And—” She abruptly stopped. Sabine was looking at her like she was crazy, and at this point, she wasn’t entirely convinced she was wrong. 

“And what?” Ahsoka prompted, arching her brow. 

“You’re going to think I’m crazy,” Jaina said in a small voice. 

“I promise I won’t,” Ahsoka assured her. 

“Speak for yourself,” Sabine muttered under her breath. Ahsoka shot her a look, and Sabine grinned and shrugged.

“Okay…well…it’s almost like whatever it is, is calling to me. Like it wants me to find it,” Jaina said. “Like I said, crazy.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Do you think you’d be able to locate it?” she asked, standing up. “If you were to try?”

Jaina closed her eyes and concentrated. The more she focused on the sound, the clearer it became. After a moment, she was certain she’d be able to track it down. It was definitely calling to her, whatever it was. She opened her eyes and looked at Ahsoka, nodding. 

“Good,” Ahsoka said. “Then let’s go.”


	13. Master & Apprentice

Ahsoka drove while Jaina sat beside her, telling her where to go. She let her instincts, as well as the sound, guide her. After some time, she told Ahsoka to stop. Opening her eyes, she saw they were somewhere in the mountains, but it didn’t appear to be anywhere near their training area.

Jaina climbed out of the speeder and walked toward a large opening in the side of one of the rocks. The sound was coming from inside. Its tune seemed to become more urgent, the closer she got to it. She looked back and realized Ahsoka hadn’t followed her. 

“This is something you have to do on your own,” Ahsoka explained, seeing her puzzled look. “I’ll be right here when you return.” 

Jaina gave her a short nod and returned her attention to the opening. The sound grew even louder and its urgency doubled as she stepped inside. Taking a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dimness, she saw that the opening led to a passageway that continued down into darkness.

The light from the opening slowly faded as she made her way down the path. Before long, it was completely dark, and she couldn’t see a thing. She reached out into the Force, trusting it to guide her. She was getting close; she could sense it.

The path opened up into what felt like a large open space. The Force was strong in here like it had been at the old temple site. It flowed in and out of the rock, almost as if it were alive. Whatever was calling to her was also in here. As abruptly as it had started, the sound suddenly stopped, and she sensed another presence there with her. 

“I know you’re here,” she said calmly, into the darkness. 

“Perceptive,” the voice replied, a hint of amusement to it. It was the same one from the temple site. “But why are you here?” Jaina smiled to herself. She wasn’t going to fall for this again.

“Something called to me and it led me here,” she answered. 

“I see,” he said. “Do you know what it is, this thing that called to you?” 

“No,” she admitted. 

“Well, how do you know it’s calling to you if you don’t even know what it is?” he asked, his tone taking on a mocking edge. Jaina got the distinct feeling he was trying to bait her into losing her temper, and she chuckled.

“A feeling, I guess,” she said. “I can’t explain it, other than that.” The voice was silent for a few moments, and Jaina quietly waited. There was a reason why he was here with her now, she just needed to be patient. He’d reveal the reason soon enough. 

“I sense much change in you,” he finally said, his voice low and serious. “Where there was volatility, now there is balance. Where there was uncertainty, now there is purpose. I trust you’ve found the answers to the questions I asked you before?”

“Yes,” Jaina said solemnly, “I have.”

“Then I believe this belongs to you,” he said. And with that, his presence was gone. 

Something began glowing from the far side of the open space—which Jaina could now see was a large cavern—lighting up the entire area. The sound was back, stronger, and more urgent than ever. It appeared to be originating from the source of light and Jaina cautiously made her way over to it. 

As she got closer, she saw that the light was coming from a crystal fragment of some sort. It was attached to one of the stone formations hanging from the roof of the cavern. She hesitated, then slowly reached out, gently tugging the crystal free. 

Immediately, the light vanished, and the sound ceased. She squeezed her hand tightly around the crystal, suddenly terrified of dropping it. There was no way she’d find it again in the pitch black of the cavern. She felt it warm to her touch, and its presence was somehow comforting in the darkness.

She still had no idea what it was, or what any of this meant, but she knew Ahsoka would. She made her way back up the passageway as quickly as she could. Ahsoka was waiting by the speeder, leaning against it and fiddling with one of her lightsabers. She looked up expectantly as Jaina jogged over to her. 

“Well?” she eagerly asked. There was an air of excitement around her that Jaina hadn’t ever felt before. She held out her hand and opened it, revealing the crystal. Ahsoka’s face broke into a wide grin as she looked at it. “I thought so,” she said. 

Jaina was happy to see Ahsoka so pleased, but she was still confused. “What is it?” she asked, then quickly added, “I mean, I know it’s a crystal of some sort, but what does it mean?”

“May I?” Ahsoka asked, motioning to the crystal. Jaina nodded, and with a flick of a finger, Ahsoka floated it into the air between them. “This is a kyber crystal.” 

Jaina looked at the crystal, then back at Ahsoka, still not understanding. Ahsoka chuckled. “I guess I should’ve known you’d have no idea what that is,” she said.

The afternoon light glinted off the crystal as it hung there. “Kyber crystals were considered sacred to the Jedi,” Ahsoka continued, lowering it back into Jaina’s palm. Jaina stared at it. How could something so small be considered sacred? As if reading her mind, Ahsoka held out the lightsaber she was holding in her hand.

“A Jedi’s lightsaber was considered an extension of their own body,” she began, “and each one was as unique as its owner. Every youngling went through the rite of passage that was building their very first lightsaber. 

“But, before they could build their saber—” Ahsoka paused to make sure Jaina was paying attention “—they had to harvest their crystal.” It took her a second, then Jaina’s eyes widened in understanding.

“The kyber crystal is what powers a lightsaber,” Ahsoka finished, then ignited her blade.

Jaina’s mouth dropped open as she looked between the crystal and the glowing white blade. “You mean—I—,” she stammered, suddenly at a complete loss for words. Ahsoka deactivated the blade and returned the saber to its spot on her hip. 

“Yes,” Ahsoka said, grinning. “That is…if you want to.” 

Still unable to speak, Jaina vigorously nodded. “All right then,” Ahsoka said. “Let’s head back and get started.”

Jaina could barely contain her excitement as they made their way back to the tower. It was something she hadn’t given much thought to, having her own lightsaber. Ahsoka never mentioned it, and Jaina didn’t want to bring it up. With her training so focused on other things, it had been ages since the idea had even crossed her mind. 

Sabine strolled out of her room when they got back, giving them both a dubious look. “Well, did you find what you were looking for?” she asked. 

“Sure did,” Jaina replied. “Turns out, I wasn’t crazy.” She held out her hand and opened it. 

“That’s still debatable,” Sabine joked, as she walked over to look. Her eyes grew wide when she saw what was lying in Jaina’s palm. She quickly looked at Ahsoka. 

“Is that what I think it is?” she breathed. Ahsoka nodded. “Hang on.” She ran off, back to her room. Jaina threw a questioning look at Ahsoka, who just shrugged.

Sabine returned less than a minute later, carrying something. She motioned for Jaina to come over to the table, where she set down an item wrapped in cloth. 

“I didn’t know for sure if you’d ever get one, and she—” Sabine pointed at Ahsoka, “—was absolutely no help whenever I asked.”

“It wasn’t up to me to decide,” Ahsoka replied.

“Right, right, the Force and all that,” Sabine said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I had this made…just in case.” She motioned to the item lying on the table. “Open it.” 

Jaina unwrapped the cloth, revealing a long cylindrical piece of metal—a lightsaber hilt. It was slightly shorter than the length of her forearm and hollow in the center. The metal itself was grey, but there were streaks of blue, black, and white stylishly painted on. A symbol was also etched into it. Tracing it with her fingers, she couldn’t recall ever seeing it before.

“It’s the symbol of your clan,” Sabine explained, smiling. Jaina stared at it, emotion welling up inside her. Her clan. Her eyes suddenly burned, and she quickly blinked back tears. 

“I…I don’t know what to say,” she said softly. She looked at Sabine. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” she happily replied. Jaina turned the hilt over in her hands. There was something familiar about the way the metal looked. “Is this…?” 

“Beskar? Yes,” Sabine answered. “Every Mandalorian warrior needs their own set of armor. I figured this—” she gestured to the hilt “—could be yours.”

“It’s perfect,” Jaina replied. “Thank you. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

“Just don’t scratch the paint,” Sabine laughed. However, Jaina could tell she was only half-joking. “It took me forever to get the design just right.”

“I’ll try not to,” Jaina replied, chuckling. She turned to Ahsoka, who had retrieved a small bag and was getting ready to dump its contents onto the table. Jaina recognized the bag as the same one containing the parts Ahsoka had used to teach her how to lift and move objects with the Force. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“I had a feeling these might be useful one day,” Ahsoka said, turning the bag over. Sure enough, the same parts fell out, with a few more added to the collection. 

“Hand me the hilt and your crystal,” she instructed. Jaina handed them over and watched as Ahsoka placed them among the parts. She then unhooked one of her sabers and set it on the table. 

“As younglings, we used a holo-diagram as a guide to help build our lightsabers.” She began to manually disassemble hers. “Unfortunately, I don’t have access to that, so this will have to do.”

When the disassembly was complete, she arranged the components neatly on the table, so Jaina could see each one clearly. She paid close attention while Ahsoka went through each component, explaining its purpose. She took her time, allowing Jaina to ask questions, and ensuring she understood before moving on. By the time they were finished, Jaina was no longer excited. The only thing she felt now was nervous. This was a task she really didn’t want to fail.

“You have all the pieces you need to build your saber,” Ahsoka assured her. “The key is to trust that they will fit together exactly how they’re supposed to. You have to trust the Force. It’s the only way it’ll work.” 

She closed her eyes and all the disassembled parts of her lightsaber floated into the air. One by one, they methodically fell into place next to each other, forming a straight line. Then, in one smooth movement, all the pieces slid together. After a final click, her lightsaber was reassembled once more.

“You make it look so easy,” Jaina grumbled. 

Ahsoka gave a short laugh. “Maybe now. It wasn’t so easy when I built my first one. Now, close your eyes.” Jaina obediently closed them. 

“Think of what your lightsaber feels like,” Ahsoka continued. “Not what you think it should look like, but what it feels like when you’re holding it. Does that make sense?” 

After a moment, Jaina nodded. “Good. Now think of the pieces laid out in front of you. You already know they’ll fit together, so arrange them in your mind to match what you feel.”

Jaina spent the next hour or so arranging and re-arranging the various parts in her mind, trying to get them to match what she felt, just like Ahsoka had instructed. It was as difficult as she thought it would be, but she refused to give in to the frustration that was trying to edge its way in. 

Finally, something clicked in her mind, and she immediately knew where each piece was supposed to go. She lined them up, gave them a once-over to be sure, then slid them together. She smiled, hearing the satisfying click that signaled the lightsaber was finished.

She opened her eyes to find her finished lightsaber floating in front of her. Hesitating for only a second, she reached out and grasped it. It was slightly heavier than she had imagined, but everything else felt exactly as it should. She beamed at Ahsoka.

“Well done,” Ahsoka said, smiling back. “Now, let’s see if it works.”

Jaina’s face fell. “What if I put it together wrong?” She hadn’t even considered that possibility.

“Then it’ll explode and probably kill us all,” Ahsoka replied nonchalantly. Jaina looked at her, terrified, and Ahsoka shrugged. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Only one way to find out!” Sabine chimed in from the other side of the room. 

Jaina stared at the saber, her finger refusing to move to the ignition switch. “Maybe I should take it outside….” 

“Oh, for the love of—turn the damn thing on already!” Sabine yelled. Jaina held her breath and hit the switch. A brilliant blue blade sprang up from the hilt, lighting up the room with its glow. Ahsoka had a smirk on her face, and Jaina belatedly realized she’d been messing with her.

“Not funny,” she said sourly. She waved the saber back and forth a few times, listening to the sound it made. 

“How does it feel?” Ahsoka asked. 

“Perfect,” Jaina replied. She waved it around a few more times before shutting it off. “And like I have no idea what to do with it.” 

“Maybe you should start with a training saber,” Sabine teased, “you know, like a stick or something. So you don’t cut your hand off right away.” 

Jaina made a face, grabbed one of the motor parts lying on the table, and threw it at her head. Sabine ducked out of her line of fire, laughing all the way into her room. 

“We’ll begin training with it in the morning,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head at the both of them. “But first things first. I’m going to tell you the same thing my master told me. Your lightsaber is your life. Don’t lose it.” 

“Okay,” Jaina said, securing the saber on the hook attached to her belt. “I promise I’ll try not to.”

“No,” Ahsoka said sternly, “look at me.” It was a tone she rarely used with her, and Jaina immediately obeyed. “I mean it. If you lose it, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to find another crystal to build a replacement. The crystals are already rare and are becoming harder to find. And this one called to you. It’s yours. That lightsaber is a part of you now. Treat it with the respect it deserves.”

The seriousness of her words finally sank in, and Jaina bowed her head slightly. “Yes,” she said, then automatically added, “Master.” 

She froze. In all the months of training, the nature of their relationship had never been discussed. It felt natural to say it, and the word had just slipped out. Internally, she cringed, waiting for Ahsoka to correct her. For a split second, Ahsoka looked taken aback; then the shock was gone, quickly replaced by a small, but pleased smile.

“All right,” she said, breaking up the awkwardness of the moment. She clasped her hands together in mock excitement. “Now for the fun part.” 

Jaina raised an eyebrow and Ahsoka’s smile turned mischievous. “You get to help me rebuild this motor.”

Jaina groaned. “I thought Sabine was helping you.” 

“She was,” Ahsoka said, “but I’d rather have your help. Besides, being able to repair and rebuild things is a useful skill to have. You can start by retrieving that part you threw across the room.” 

Jaina suppressed another groan and went to go pick up the part lying on the floor. She spent the next few hours trying her best to pay attention to what Ahsoka was teaching her, but it was hard to keep her mind focused when all she could think about was the lightsaber hanging from her hip.

As promised, the next morning they headed out to the training area. Ahsoka started at the beginning and walked her through the various forms of lightsaber combat. Her ribs were still very much broken, which only added to the difficulty of the movements. Doing anything other than slowly going step-by-step was out of the question for the time being. 

Which was completely fine by Jaina. Sabine’s comment about cutting her hand off hadn’t sat well; all morning, it was the only thing she could think about every time she swung the saber. It felt strange in her hand and she started off more than a little afraid of it. But as the day went on, she became more and more comfortable using it. 

She told Ahsoka as much after they broke for lunch. “That’s because you’re connecting to it,” Ahsoka explained. “The Force is constantly flowing through you into the crystal, and from the crystal into you. Eventually, it’ll feel as though it’s just an extension of your arm.” 

By the end of the day, Jaina could already feel a difference. She was no longer afraid of it, nor was she afraid of accidentally losing a body part due to her inexperience. She went to bed that evening, tired, extremely sore, but excited for the next day’s lesson.

Each lesson built on the previous one and Ahsoka was only willing to move on to the next task once Jaina demonstrated proficiency with the current one. As soon as Jaina’s ribs were fully healed, Ahsoka didn’t hold back. The intensity of the training sessions increased significantly. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

From the forms, they moved into learning how to block, then accurately deflect blaster bolts. It was a skill that didn’t take her long to pick up, given that she’d already learned how to sense and avoid blaster fire before she ever had a lightsaber. This was simply sensing it, then making sure her blade was in the right place at the right time. Those lessons also gave her a chance to give Sabine a little payback for all the times that Sabine had blasted her before, which Jaina enjoyed immensely.

Almost two months after she’d begun training with hers, Ahsoka started allowing Sabine to join in with the one she had. The first time Sabine brought it out had been a shock to Jaina. She’d had no idea Sabine even had one.

She knew Sabine wasn’t Force-sensitive, so she was more than a little curious as to where she had gotten it from. Sabine refused to say when Jaina asked her, and Jaina had felt so much anger and sadness coming from Sabine that she never brought it up again.

Regardless of how and where she’d gotten it, Sabine proved she was adept at using the saber, and provided somewhat of a challenge for Jaina, at least in the beginning. But without being able to utilize the Force as Jaina could, it didn’t take long for Jaina to surpass her. 

And that’s when her true saber training started. Ahsoka began to incorporate all the things she had already learned about using the Force and started teaching her how to use them in tandem with the lightsaber. 

Those lessons almost always consisted of Ahsoka showing her how to do something, then dueling with her until she got it right. As mesmerizing as it was to watch Ahsoka demonstrate something with a level of focus and intensity Jaina could only hope to ever reach, it was equally as terrifying to have that focus and intensity trained on her. Jaina almost pitied those who had been caught on the wrong end of those lightsabers before.

The days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months as Jaina gradually became more and more skilled: both with her lightsaber and the Force. She knew she’d never reach the level Ahsoka was at—not in this short amount of time—but that didn’t stop her from giving everything she had every single day. 

The bond between them inevitably grew strong, with Ahsoka embracing her role as master, and Jaina embracing hers as her apprentice. Ahsoka had become the mentor Jaina never knew she needed, teaching her just as much about how to be a decent person as she did the Force.

With the majority of her attention focused on her training, Jaina all but forgot about what had brought her to Lothal in the first place. The events on Garel seemed like a distant memory, and any thoughts or worries about the Inquisitor or the Empire had been pushed to the back of her mind. 

Lothal had become the home that Akiva had promised to be, and Ahsoka’s assessment of the Imperial threat had been correct. The Empire continued to leave the planet alone, just as Ahsoka had said they would. And unless Sabine made a point to give her any news, Jaina had no idea how the war was going. But that didn’t mean she’d forgotten about it. Or Emry. The two were inextricably linked, and Jaina couldn’t think about one without thinking about the other.

But besides Emry, she gave no more than a passing thought to what was going on outside of Lothal. For the first time in a very long time, she felt safe and happy. What she didn’t realize—or, rather, didn’t care to think about—was that just because they were safely tucked away from the Empire’s reach, that didn’t mean the Empire couldn’t reach them at all.

It was a reality she’d soon have to face.


	14. Shifting Winds

The day had started like all the rest of them. Jaina woke up early, as she usually did, poured herself a cup of caf and took it out to the platform. The very first hints of daylight were beginning to show on the horizon, and the lights of the city sparkled in the distance. 

It was her favorite time of the day. The world wasn’t quite awake yet, and everything was still and calm. She sipped on the caf and watched the sky gradually lighten, eventually settling into her normal morning meditation.

But today, something was different: she could sense a subtle shifting in the Force. It made her feel uneasy, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why. The feeling stayed with her all morning, making it hard to focus during the training session.

“You’re awfully distracted today,” Ahsoka said matter-of-factly, during one of their breaks. “What’s wrong?”

Jaina frowned. She had hoped Ahsoka wouldn’t notice. She quickly stuffed a few bites of her snack into her mouth, buying herself some time before she had to answer.

“I don’t know,” she finally replied. “Something feels…off. Something in the Force. I felt it this morning when I was meditating. I don’t know if it’s something bad, or something good. It just feels…different.” She sighed. “That’s the best way I can describe it.”

Ahsoka nodded in understanding. “I feel it too.”

“What does it mean?” Jaina asked.

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Ahsoka admitted. “But in my experience, I’ve learned that it can sometimes mean change is coming.” 

Seeing the concerned look Jaina gave her, she hastily added: “But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Change doesn’t always have to be negative. It can sometimes be positive.”

“I guess that’s true,” Jaina said thoughtfully. “So how do you not let it distract you? Knowing that something is going to happen, but not knowing when it will, or what it will be?”

“That’s a very good question,” Ahsoka replied, chuckling. “And one I had a hard time learning the answer to, myself.” Jaina gave her a dubious look. She had a difficult time imagining her master struggling to learn anything. 

“You can’t change what’s going to happen,” Ahsoka continued. “It’s the will of the Force, and you can’t control it, no matter how hard you might try. You just have to accept it, and trust that the Force has a reason and a purpose for whatever is going to happen.”

Jaina nodded. “Yes, Master.” She suddenly felt much better. She quickly finished her snack and stood up, ready to get on with their training. 

“You know what?” Ahsoka said, stretching as she also stood up. “No more lessons today. We’re going to do whatever you want to do.” Jaina’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Within reason, that is,” she added. 

“Hmm…whatever I want to do, huh?” Jaina said. She turned and slowly walked away from Ahsoka, thinking. A moment later, she whipped back around, drawing her lightsaber as she did. 

“I want a re-match,” she stated, pointing the saber at her master and grinning. “From the other day. When you cheated.” 

It was Ahsoka’s turn to look surprised and she crossed her arms. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She was trying to act as though she was offended, but Jaina could tell she was barely suppressing a grin.

“Uh-huh,” Jaina replied. She ignited the blade and slid into her fighting stance. “Maybe you’re just afraid that I’ll beat you this time.”

That did the trick. Ahsoka’s sabers flew into her hands and she ignited them, settling into her own fighting stance. “Not a chance,” she retorted, unable to suppress the grin any longer. 

They circled each other for a moment, neither wanting to make the first move. Jaina tried to be patient—to wait for her opponent to strike first like she’d been taught—but patience had never been her strongest attribute. She lunged forward with a solid strike that Ahsoka easily blocked, and the fight was on.

They dueled for the next couple of hours, Ahsoka only stopping them if Jaina made a mistake that could prove life-threatening, had it been a real fight. By the time they were finished, the uneasy feeling from the morning had dissipated entirely. It was one of the better dueling sessions she’d had so far, and Ahsoka seemed pleased with how it had gone.

Even though Ahsoka had long since abandoned the rule that Jaina couldn’t take the turbolift up to their home, she was in such a good mood when they got back, she decided it was as good a day as any to see how high she could get. It had been a while since she’d tested her jumping strength and was curious to see if it had improved any since the last time. 

She took a minute to eyeball the distance, then crouched down. Feeling the Force build inside her, she leapt into the air. A few seconds later, the antenna halfway up the tower was under her feet, then she was airborne again, reaching for the platform ledge. 

The last time she’d attempted this, she’d just barely managed to grasp the ledge with her fingers. This time, instead of almost missing, the ledge flew past her as she easily cleared the railing around it. She landed in a crouch on the platform’s decking and froze for a moment, too excited to move. Then she ran for the door, eager to tell Ahsoka and brag to Sabine. 

She punched the door release button and burst inside: “Ahsoka! I—” The good news was instantly forgotten as she skidded to a halt, her mouth dropping open in shock. 

There, sitting at the table, was General Syndulla, Rex, and Emry. Her eyes flicked between each of them, her brain not quite comprehending what she was seeing. She vaguely noticed Sabine and Ahsoka standing off to the side, amusedly watching her. A million questions ran through her mind as she stood there staring at them, suddenly unable to speak. 

“Close your mouth,” Sabine murmured in Mando’a, as she walked past Jaina chuckling. Jaina snapped it shut and shot her a dirty look. 

“How—why—when—?” Jaina stammered, suddenly finding her voice again. General Syndulla and Rex laughed softly.

“Today,” General Syndulla answered. “And because it was time for a visit.” She smiled at Jaina, a genuine smile Jaina hadn’t ever seen from her before. Jaina returned it, sensing the general’s attitude towards her had somehow changed for the better, even though she hadn’t seen her in months. 

Emry stood up and approached her. Jaina’s heart began to pound, and she could feel a level of nervousness coming from Emry that rivaled her own. Emry’s eyes surveyed her, briefly pausing on the lightsaber hanging at her hip. She suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. 

After every training session, she came home dirty and covered in sweat; today was no different. She knew she looked terrible, and Emry looked—well, Emry looked significantly better than she did at the moment. 

Jaina hardly noticed the others as Emry walked up to her, and her voice had gone mute again. They hadn’t seen each other in eight months, and so much had changed with her since then. She wasn’t the same person Emry had known back then, and Emry had seemed to like the old her just fine. What if Emry didn’t like who she was now?

“Hi,” Emry said shyly, stopping in front of her. 

“Hi,” Jaina replied, equally as shy. They stared at each other for a few seconds, then Emry threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. 

Jaina held her just as tight, hardly daring to believe it was real. All the anxiety she’d just had was instantly gone as Emry’s presence washed over her. She didn’t want to let go, but eventually, her self-consciousness got the best of her and she pulled away. 

“I should, ah, go get cleaned up,” she said sheepishly, wiping away some dirt she’d left behind on Emry’s shirt.

“Okay,” Emry said. She smiled warmly. “Just don’t take too long. We have a lot of catching up to do.” She glanced over at the others and lowered her voice. “And apparently, Sabine is cooking us all dinner tonight.” 

Jaina wrinkled her nose. “Suddenly, I’m not that hungry anymore.”

Emry laughed and Jaina’s face broke into a wide grin. She’d forgotten how much she enjoyed making Emry laugh. She rushed off to her room, showering and changing as quickly as she could. 

Emry was right; Sabine did indeed cook them all dinner, and Jaina grudgingly had to admit, it was pretty good. Afterward, Ahsoka and the general left to go “take care of some things” as Ahsoka had put it, leaving the four of them behind. Rex had somehow discovered Sabine and Jaina’s stash of alcohol and they sat around the table, drinking and talking. 

“…and then, she pulls one of the craziest maneuvers I’ve ever seen,” Rex said, shaking his head. “It was incredible to watch. Even Hera was impressed.” He was in the middle of telling Jaina and Sabine about one of the recent battles they’d been in. Jaina looked at Emry, impressed. She had no idea she was such a good pilot. 

Emry, for her part, looked slightly embarrassed at the praise from Rex, and glanced over at Jaina, smiling faintly as she caught her eye. 

“I had to do something,” Emry said nonchalantly. “It was either that or let the TIEs overrun us. And it worked, didn’t it?” 

“That it did,” Rex said proudly. He launched into another story, and Jaina found herself only half listening as her thoughts drifted. 

She was happier than she’d been in a very long time. Maybe this was the change she’d sensed this morning. If so, it was a very positive, and very welcome change. It all felt too good to be true. A sudden thought occurred to her, and it brought a wave of sadness with it, completely smothering the happiness. 

A heavy feeling settled in her chest, and she immediately felt like she couldn’t breathe. She desperately needed fresh air, and quietly excused herself from the group. It took all she had not to run out the door and onto the platform. The air outside was mercifully cool, and she gripped the railing, inhaling deeply and trying to calm the emotions raging inside her. 

A few minutes later, she heard the door open and then shut behind her and grimaced. She didn’t want Emry to see her like this. But just like before, as Emry got closer and her presence swept over Jaina, the turmoil inside her instantly ceased. It was like putting a salve on a burn. Jaina leaned into the calming feeling and took one more steadying breath as Emry walked up next to her. 

“What’s wrong?” Emry asked softly. She could feel Emry’s eyes on her but couldn’t bring herself to look at her. 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Jaina said quietly. “It doesn’t feel real.”

“I know,” Emry agreed. “It doesn’t to me either. It’s been—” she paused, sighing, “—a long time.” Jaina nodded. 

“That’s not it though, is it? There’s something else bothering you. What is it?” 

Jaina stared at the city in the distance, wrestling over whether or not to tell her. She knew it was something neither one of them had any control over, and she didn’t want to ruin any of the moments they had together.

“Please,” Emry said. “You know you can tell me anything.” Her voice had a slight pleading tone to it that made Jaina internally wince. She chose her words carefully, trying not to sound bitter.

“I know this is too good to be true. I know you’re not staying. I know you have to leave again.” She finally looked at Emry. “So just tell me when. So, it won’t be a surprise.” 

It was Emry’s turn to look away, and Jaina noticed a flicker of guilt pass across her face. “You’re right,” she said dejectedly. “We’re not staying. You know we can’t.”

Jaina sighed heavily. “I know.” She felt defeated. This was not how she had hoped her night would go.

“As for when we’re leaving, I’m not sure,” Emry said. “It’s up to the general. But I do know it won’t be for at least a few days.” She gave Jaina a faint smile, and Jaina weakly returned it. 

“I’ll take a few days over no days at all,” Jaina said, trying to put some optimism back into her voice. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, obviously, but why are you guys here anyway?” 

Emry’s face took on a faraway look, and she gazed into the distance as she slowly spoke: “The past few months have been…difficult. The battles are getting fiercer. Sure, we hurt the Empire when we blew up the Death Star, but now it just feels like it was a pinprick. Their attacks have increased, and the Rebellion is scrambling to stay one step ahead of them.” 

She shook her head and her voice darkened a little. “That little maneuver Rex was bragging about that I did? If I hadn’t done it, or if it hadn’t worked…I’m not sure we’d be here right now.” 

Jaina stared at her, suddenly feeling extremely guilty and selfish. Here she’d been, in the safety of this planet for the last eight months, while they’d been out there, fighting and risking their lives. And she’d had the nerve to make it all about her within the first few hours of seeing Emry again. Mentally, she slapped herself. How could she be so stupid and inconsiderate? She was lucky Emry either hadn’t noticed or hadn’t cared enough to be angry about it.

Emry saw Jaina watching her and gave her another weak smile. “Anyway…the general decided we could use a break, so here we are. And I have every intention of making the most of the time we’re here. If there’s one thing this war has taught me, it’s to enjoy the time you do get to spend with the people you care about.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you still care about me,” Jaina said, playfully nudging her arm. 

“I never stopped,” Emry said softly. There was something in her tone that made Jaina’s stomach do a backflip. She looked at Emry and felt like she was seeing her for the first time. It slowly dawned on her that maybe she wasn’t the only one who’d changed over the last several months. Emry held her gaze for a few moments before her lips pulled into a sly smile.

“So…can I see it?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh—um…” Jaina fumbled over her words, trying to mentally shift gears. She gave Emry a confused look. “See…what exactly?” 

She followed Emry’s eyes down to her lightsaber. “Oh! That,” she said, breaking into a shy grin. She unhooked the saber and held it out. Emry looked at it hesitantly. “Go on,” Jaina encouraged her. Emry hesitated another few seconds, then gently picked it up. 

“It’s heavier than I thought it would be,” Emry said, surprised. She turned it over in her hands, studying it.

Jaina chuckled. “I thought the same thing the first time I held it.” The bright light of the moons glinted off the symbol etched into it, and she watched as Emry’s fingers traced the etching, just like hers had. 

“The symbol of my clan,” Jaina said proudly. “My family.” 

“I thought you said you didn’t have any family,” Emry said, frowning. “That it was just you and your parents.”

“Apparently, I was wrong,” Jaina said, shrugging. “My parents kept them from me for some reason. I only found out after I asked Sabine to look into if they were still alive or not.”

“And, are they still alive?” Emry asked. Jaina nodded. Emry stared at the saber, thinking. “Will you go back then? To see them? And the rest of your family?” There was the faintest hint of disappointment in her voice.

“Eventually,” Jaina said. “When the time is right.” She paused, suddenly feeling the need to reassure Emry, but of what, she wasn’t quite sure. “But not right now.” 

Emry gave a short nod, and Jaina immediately changed the subject. “You can turn it on if you want.

“Just make sure,” she said, reaching out and turning the saber around in Emry’s hands, “it’s pointing this way when you do.” Emry shot her an annoyed look, and Jaina laughed. “Hey, I don’t know how many lightsabers you’ve held before.” She stepped to Emry’s side, and Emry hit the ignition switch. 

Even though she’d heard it a thousand times already, Jaina still enjoyed listening to the sound of the blade springing to life. The blue glow lit Emry’s face up, and Jaina could see that she looked genuinely impressed. Emry slowly waved it back and forth a few times, then shut it off and handed it back to her.

“I’m assuming you can do more than just lift a wrench a few feet into the air,” Emry said with a smirk, as Jaina returned the lightsaber to her hip. 

Jaina shrugged and gave her a mischievous smile. “Just a few more things.”

“Like what?” Emry asked, crossing her arms and feigning disbelief. 

“Like…” Jaina replied, thinking quickly. She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to show Emry just yet, or how much Ahsoka would want her to show. Her master incessantly preached humility and not using her abilities unless she needed to. 

“Like, how do you think I got up here earlier?” Jaina said, finally settling on something she didn’t think was that big of a deal. Emry cocked her head, confused. 

“When you got here, how did you get up to the top?” she asked, trying to prompt Emry into figuring it out on her own. 

“The lift,” Emry said matter-of-factly, still not quite grasping what Jaina was saying. She tried again. 

“And when Ahsoka and I got back from training, she came in through the lift too, right?” Emry nodded and Jaina finally saw a flicker of understanding on her face.

“But you didn’t…” Emry said, trailing off in disbelief. She looked at Jaina and then at the door. “You came in through that door.” Jaina nodded, grinning. “But…how?!”

“I jumped,” Jaina replied. She had to stifle a laugh at the look on Emry’s face. It wasn’t unlike the same look of shock she’d had the first time Jaina had shown her what she could do. Emry peered over the railing shaking her head. 

“No way,” she stated, crossing her arms. “Prove it.” 

“You really don’t believe me?” Jaina asked, pretending she was hurt by the accusation. Emry shook her head. 

“Fine. If you insist.” Jaina put her hands on the railing, wishing she could see the look of terror that would undoubtedly be on Emry’s face when she launched herself over the edge. She was just about to leap over when she paused.

“On second thought,” she said, pulling back. “I’ll have to prove it another time. For now, you’ll just have to trust me.” Emry gave her a questioning look.

“Ahsoka and the general are back,” Jaina explained. “Well, they’re almost back.” Sure enough, no more than ten seconds later, Ahsoka and General Syndulla pulled up beneath them in the speeder.

“How did you know?” Emry asked, slightly amazed. 

“I could sense them,” Jaina answered. Emry looked confused, and she thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. 

“The Force resides in everything, and every living creature has a unique presence in it. I’m able to sense that presence, whether it’s something like a loth-cat, or a person, like you or Ahsoka. Regardless of what it is, I can sense its thoughts and emotions.”

“So, the rumors are true,” Emry breathed. She drew back from Jaina, a fearful look on her face. “You can read minds.” Jaina frowned. Dammit. She’d completely forgotten about the one time she’d done that in the last year.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Jaina said, trying to backtrack. This was harder to explain than she thought, and the last thing she wanted was for Emry to be scared of her. “I said I can sense the thoughts of others, but that doesn’t mean I can read them. It’s more like, a feeling. If someone’s happy, or sad, or afraid. Something like that.”

Emry slowly nodded, but still didn’t seem convinced. “So, it was all a lie then? Something someone made up just because you were an Imperial?” 

Jaina sighed. She didn’t want Emry to know about this part of her. But she had also never lied to her, and she wasn’t about to start now.

“No,” she said quietly, “but it’s not what you think.”

“So, what is it then?” Emry asked, and Jaina had to swallow the urge to flinch at her icy tone.

“It’s an ability I’ve had since I was at the Academy. I used it as a loyalty officer to get the truth out of someone when nothing else would work. It’s highly invasive and extremely painful, especially when someone doesn’t want you in their head, sifting through their thoughts. The last time I used it was right after I woke up on Yavin. After that, Ahsoka forbade me from using it ever again. And I haven’t.”

She watched Emry for any kind of reaction as she spoke, but all she could sense was the same fearfulness from before. She resigned herself to the fact that she’d probably just ruined everything and waited for whatever backlash Emry was going to throw at her. But she’d never regret telling her the truth. She knew lying to her would feel much worse.

Emry turned away from her and leaned against the railing. Jaina could sense she was struggling with her emotions, so she stayed where she was; she was content to stand there until Emry was ready to talk again. Or until she told her to leave. After what seemed like an eternity, Emry finally turned back around.

“Okay,” she said, hesitantly, “I believe you.” 

Jaina walked over and stood in front of her. “You know I’d never lie to you,” she said softly.

“I know,” Emry replied. A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. “You said every creature has a unique presence in the Force? And you can feel them?” 

“I did…” Jaina said, wondering where she was going with this.

“What do I feel like to you?” Emry asked. The way she’d said it made Jaina’s stomach do another backflip. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. Emry’s presence was there to greet her, and she let it wash over her, filling her senses. 

“Calm. Peaceful.” She inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. “Soothing.” 

Opening her eyes again, she saw Emry intently watching her. There was an intensity behind her eyes that Jaina hadn’t seen before. It sent sparks of electricity shooting through her and she suddenly had the urge to do something she’d only ever dreamt about. She took a tentative step towards Emry, but before she could get any farther, the door behind her opened and Sabine walked out.

“Emry, Hera wants to brief us on what’s going on tomorrow,” she said. Jaina saw a flash of frustration cross Emry’s face as she pulled her eyes away from her and looked at Sabine. 

“Okay,” Emry replied, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. She marched past them both and headed inside. Jaina started to follow her when Sabine stopped her. 

“Ahsoka wants to talk to you, too,” Sabine told her. Jaina gave her a curt nod, more than a little frustrated by the interruption as well.

She followed Sabine inside and saw her master waiting for her across the room from the others. She reluctantly walked up, trying to get a handle on her emotions. She didn’t need Ahsoka inquiring about the how’s and why’s of what she was feeling right now. Ahsoka watched her approach, a curious look on her face as she quickly glanced at the others, then back at Jaina.

“Everything okay?” Ahsoka asked, once Jaina reached her.

“Yep,” Jaina curtly replied. She then got right to the point. “What’s going on tomorrow?”

“A test,” Ahsoka answered. Jaina just looked at her, waiting for her to explain. “It’s been almost a year now, since we met, and I began training you. You’ve come a very long way in that amount of time and have learned a great deal. 

“Tomorrow, you’ll get the chance to prove to me, to them—” she nodded at Emry and the others “—and most importantly, to yourself, that you can take what you’ve learned and use it effectively.”

Jaina felt her eyes widen in shock. “You actually think I’m ready for something like that?” she asked incredulously.

“Absolutely,” Ahsoka said firmly. “If I didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing this. I know you’re ready and I believe you’ll succeed. Now it’s up to you. You have to trust in yourself, your abilities, and the Force.”

Jaina didn’t know what to say or think. She was elated that Ahsoka believed in her enough to think she was ready for something like this, but terrified at the same time. What if she couldn’t perform to Ahsoka’s standards? What if she completely forgot everything she’d learned? 

On impulse, she glanced over at Emry and caught her eye. Emry gave her a faint smile before turning her attention back to General Syndulla. Jaina idly watched her, trying to sort through the jumble of thoughts and emotions going through her. She felt Ahsoka lay a hand on her shoulder.

“Jaina.” Her tone was gentle but firm, and Jaina drug her attention back to her master. Ahsoka gave her a sympathetic look, but when she spoke, her voice was serious. “There will be time for that later. Right now, I need you to focus. Tomorrow is extremely important. There are going to be times where you’ll need to put purpose ahead of your feelings. This is one of those times.” 

The weight of Ahsoka’s words sunk in and Jaina bowed her head. “Yes, Master.” She suddenly felt the need to get away from the tower as fast as she could. There was no way she’d be able to focus on anything with Emry so close right now.

“I—I need to go clear my head,” she said. Her eyes searched Ahsoka’s, pleading for permission. Ahsoka nodded her approval, and with one last sideways glance at Emry, Jaina quietly slipped out of the room and into the lift. 

As soon as the doors opened, she set off at a jog, the cool night air stinging her face. She headed for the nearby hills, and once there, settled into a deep meditation. 

She was going to be ready for whatever she had to face tomorrow. As hard as it was to push her feelings for Emry aside, she did it anyway. Her desire to succeed and not let Ahsoka down outweighed everything else. She would do whatever it took to not fail.


	15. Positive Results

The others were long gone by the time Ahsoka came and got Jaina out of her morning meditation. It was just as well. She didn’t need the distraction. She hadn’t seen anyone but Ahsoka since leaving the tower last night. They were already asleep when she’d returned, except Ahsoka, who was waiting for her. She had filled her in on more of the details of her test today, and Jaina was able to go to bed with a clear head and calm emotions.

Sleep had come, but it had been fitful. She eventually gave up and had been meditating in her usual spot on the platform ever since. Now, she was sitting next to Ahsoka, riding out to the training area. The morning’s meditation had left her calm, focused, and ready for whatever was about to happen. They pulled up to the entrance and Ahsoka stopped the speeder.

Jaina steadied herself and climbed out. Ahsoka stayed where she was, and quickly gave her a rundown of the rules she needed to follow. The others would be using their blasters, set on the lowest setting, and Jaina had her lightsaber. Other than ensuring she didn’t seriously hurt or accidentally kill anyone, she had a lot of leeway in what she was allowed to do. She was pretty sure the others did as well.

She watched Ahsoka drive off, towards the far end of the area, then knelt down. Closing her eyes, she reached out into the Force, trying to sense where the others were. They were easy to find. Anxiety gave three of them away, and Jaina had spent so much time with Sabine she could sense her presence easily from a distance. Smiling to herself, she opened her eyes, stood back up, and slowly walked farther into the training area.

The initial attack came from above. Sabine roared into view, immediately opening fire. Jaina’s lightsaber was up in an instant, easily deflecting the shots. She gave herself over to the Force, acting on her instincts and allowing it to guide her actions. Sabine was only a distraction, however, and she sensed Emry moving in behind her. 

Time seemed to slow down, and Jaina saw Emry’s shots before they happened. Sending two well-aimed deflections back at Sabine—along with a strong push through the Force to buy herself some time—she whipped her saber around, sending Emry’s shots directly back at her. The shots hit their mark: one slammed into her shoulder and the other into her leg, sending her reeling. 

Emry lost her grip on her blaster, and as it fell, Jaina pulled it to her. It flew into her outstretched hand, and she immediately dove to her right. A barrage of blaster fire from Sabine scorched the ground where she had just been standing. She rolled and was back on her feet a second later, her lightsaber in constant motion as Sabine’s onslaught continued. 

One of the main rules was that if Jaina was able to get close enough that she could effectively use her lightsaber against them, then they were to cease their attack. The same rule applied if she was able to hit them with blaster fire. This way, no one got hurt—at least not seriously—and it would more accurately mimic a real-world battle. However, Jaina had to follow the same rules. If she was hit with blaster fire, or if they were able to successfully simulate a kill shot on her, the test was over.

Emry was now out, and Jaina turned all her attention to Sabine, who was sending as many blaster bolts her way as she could. Jaina noticed that, even though she was flying back and forth, she was gradually moving backward as well. It was forcing her to walk forward, and she quickly realized Sabine was trying to walk her into a trap. She could sense General Syndulla and Rex moving into positions on either side of her. She needed to take out Sabine before they could get set and spring the trap. 

Jaina sent the next two shots back at her, along with three of her own from Emry’s blaster. Four of the five shots found their target: two crashed into Sabine’s jetpack, disabling it, and the other two found a home where Sabine’s armor wasn’t. Jaina had gotten lots of practice aiming for the parts of Sabine’s body that weren’t covered in armor, and she took full advantage of that now.

Sabine cursed as she started to fall, and Jaina stretched her hand out, slowing her so she didn’t crash into the ground. It suddenly became very quiet; Jaina deactivated her lightsaber and closed her eyes. There. General Syndulla was closer to her than Rex was, but they were both hidden amongst the cover of the rocks. She saw the attack before it happened; at the very last second, she leapt as high as she could into the air, angling herself towards General Syndulla’s position. 

They had probably hoped to catch her off-guard by simultaneously firing on her from both sides, but instead, they ended up shooting at each other. While their attention was focused on ducking from their friendly fire, Jaina was able to see exactly where General Syndulla was. She sent a salvo of blaster fire down onto the general as she landed on top of one of the rocks above her. 

The general ran for cover and Jaina hopped down, setting out after her. Syndulla darted between the rocks, using them as cover, firing off shots at Jaina as best she could. Jaina easily avoided them as she calmly followed her. She knew this training area better than the general did; these rock formations had become a sort of second home to her. 

Rounding a corner, she found herself face to face with Syndulla’s blaster and only just got her lightsaber up in time before she opened fire. The general had nowhere to go, and Jaina slowly backed her up until she was pressed against the rock. Having had enough, Jaina stretched her hand out and reached through the Force, forcing the general’s blaster hand against the rock. She held it there while she brought her saber up and then swung it down, stopping only inches from the general’s head. 

Syndulla gave her a half-smile, conceding her defeat, and Jaina released her. She was turning back around when she sensed him. Rex had followed them, trying to sneak up on her while she was preoccupied with the general. She couldn’t see him—yet—but she knew he was about to break his cover and open fire. Jaina stayed where she was and took up a defensive position in front of the general.

Her first instinct had been to leap out of the way, but that would leave Syndulla exposed. Three seconds later, Rex came charging around one of the rocks, firing rapidly and accurately. Jaina blocked them all and saw Rex’s eyes widen as he realized the general was still standing behind her. His charge faltered, and Jaina took advantage of his momentary distraction to send a push through the Force, throwing him sideways into one of the rocks.

The impact jarred his blasters loose and they clattered to the ground. Wasting no time, Jaina lunged at him, bringing her lightsaber down hard and fast. Again, she stopped the blade just inches from his head. She could feel his frustration, but it melted away after a few seconds. He gave her a wide smile, and Jaina deactivated her saber and helped him to his feet. Now came the hard part.

Without a word, she took a deep breath and jumped, flipping back into the open training area. Looking down to the far end, she could see Ahsoka waiting for her. A very small part of her wanted to try and find Emry, but she forced that urge away and focused on her master. She set Emry’s blaster down on the ground and walked towards Ahsoka. 

When she got within ten meters of her, Jaina bowed and Ahsoka did the same. Their sabers ignited simultaneously, and both immediately slipped into their fighting stances. They may have dueled only just yesterday, but this felt much different. This mattered a lot more, to the both of them; Jaina knew Ahsoka wasn’t going to hold back on her today. She needed to stay as focused and as calm as possible if she was going to have a chance to finally beat her master.

Determined to let Ahsoka strike first, Jaina waited longer than she’d ever had and was finally rewarded for her patience. Ahsoka darted forward, her lightsabers coming at her from both sides. Jaina deflected one, ducked away from the other, and immediately went on the attack. Early on, she’d shown a natural preference for the same form her master used, and she’d gotten very good at being able to instantly switch from defending to attacking. 

Ahsoka easily blocked Jaina’s strikes and countered again. It went on like this for a while, both of them refusing to give an inch to the other, but they eventually started to tire. Both were giving it everything they had, and the intensity of the duel was rapidly wearing on them. Jaina was starting to get frustrated and she could sense Ahsoka was as well. The fatigue and frustration were beginning to lend themselves to mistakes, and when Ahsoka made a small one, Jaina saw her opening.

She swatted Ahsoka’s sabers away and sent a strong push through the Force, knocking her off balance and back a few meters. Immediately, she leapt at her master and brought her saber crashing down. Ahsoka barely had time to get her sabers up before Jaina was on top of her. Their blades locked together, and they pushed as hard as they could, trying to break the deadlock.  
For a moment, they stared at each other through the blades. Anger sparked inside Jaina as she realized she may have just blown her only chance to win. Ahsoka’s face was calm, and with a strength Jaina didn’t realize she had, she pushed Jaina away from her, breaking their sabers apart. Her master then jumped backward, putting some space between the two of them. 

Frustrated and angry, she glared at Ahsoka. Then, unable to hold back any longer, she charged at her. She was going to win this fight, one way or another. Anticipation surged through her when she saw Ahsoka deactivate her sabers. She had no idea why she’d done it, but she didn’t care. All she saw was a clear opening for a final strike. 

As soon as Jaina got within range, she leapt into the air and brought her blade down as fast and as hard as she could, already tasting the sweet thrill of victory. But at the last second, Ahsoka spun out of the way and delivered a kick that caught Jaina squarely in the chest, sending her flying backward. She expertly rolled out of it, but as soon as she was back on her feet, she was met with an extremely violent push through the Force that lifted her into the air and sent her flying backward again. 

The ground was unforgiving when she finally slammed into it. Her head bounced, and white spots immediately clouded her vision. The impact sent all the air rushing out of her lungs, and her lightsaber skidded away as she lost her grip on it. She gasped and writhed, trying to get her lungs the air they desperately needed. 

Before she could recover, Ahsoka had landed in a crouch over her, her lightsabers crossed over her neck. Her lungs were finally starting to fill back up with air, and she took deep, gulping breaths, scowling at Ahsoka. Ahsoka scowled right back, not giving her apprentice an inch. Finally, she felt recovered enough to try and pull her lightsaber to her. She still didn’t want to concede that the fight was over.

She flung her arm out to her side and opened her hand. Ahsoka responded immediately by stepping down, hard, on Jaina’s arm. Her grip tightened on her sabers, and she lowered them ever so slightly towards Jaina’s neck. They were close enough now Jaina could feel the heat from them. Ahsoka then uttered the first word that had been spoken between them in the last hour.

“Don’t.” The warning was clear, and Jaina got the message. She froze, not daring to move again. 

Ahsoka had the same look on her face that she did the day Jaina had lost control and attacked Sabine. When she was ready to do whatever it took to keep Sabine safe from her. She quickly realized Ahsoka was treating this the same way, not wanting her to lose control again and hurt their friends. The realization was sobering and the fight instantly went out of her.

Jaina could feel the others' fear and confusion as they slowly moved in closer to them. Ahsoka didn’t move or let her up, and Jaina never let her eyes stray from her master as she fought the anger boiling inside her. She put all her focus into her breathing, using it to calm herself. After a few very long and very tense minutes, the anger drained away completely and she found her balance again. Ahsoka’s hands shifted on her sabers, indicating she’d felt the change.

“Ow,” Jaina said, smiling wryly. Ahsoka gave her a small smile back and deactivated her sabers. She helped Jaina to her feet and immediately looked her over from head to toe.

“Are you okay?” she asked, genuinely concerned. 

“More or less, yeah,” Jaina replied. “Probably going to be sore for a few days, but nothing like last time.”

Ahsoka nodded, and her face took on the look it always did when she was about to lecture her apprentice.

“Now you understand why it’s so important that you always stay calm and focused, no matter what happens. You lost because you let your frustration and anger get the best of you. As a result, you lost focus. How quickly did the fight change once you let your anger control your actions?”

“Very, very quickly,” Jaina conceded, hanging her head.

“Exactly,” Ahsoka said. “In a real fight, that could’ve proven deadly.” 

“Yes, Master,” Jaina said, feeling completely defeated. She thought she’d done so well, too. All it took was one mistake to unravel everything. Maybe she wasn’t as ready as Ahsoka thought she was.

“However…” Ahsoka said slowly. Jaina looked up, seeing Ahsoka’s face had softened and she was now smiling. “You proved yourself today. This wasn’t an easy challenge, but you handled it very well. I’m proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself.”

“Does this mean I passed?” Jaina asked, cautiously excited. Ahsoka nodded and Jaina beamed at her. Then her face got serious.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing respectfully to Ahsoka, “for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

“You’re welcome,” Ahsoka said, returning the bow. They both straightened up and Jaina noticed the others were now cautiously approaching them. 

“So, what’s next?” she asked, suddenly eager to find out what else Ahsoka had planned. 

“That’s up to you,” Ahsoka replied. “The rest of the day is yours to do whatever you please.” She looked over her shoulder at the others. “Although, I’m fairly certain there’s one person who’d like at least some of your time.” 

She had a knowing look on her face, and Jaina flashed her an embarrassed grin. She glanced around, trying to locate where her lightsaber had ended up, then pulled it to her. She was hooking it back onto her belt when Emry walked up.

“Just a few more things, huh?” Emry said, smirking. 

“Yeah, just a few,” Jaina said, grinning at her. 

“That was—” she paused, trying to find the right words “—incredible to watch.” Jaina felt her face flush with embarrassment at the praise. 

“Oh, don’t make her head any bigger than it already is,” Sabine said, playfully punching Jaina in the arm. Jaina tried to return it, but Sabine ducked out of the way.

“Thanks for the assist, by the way,” Sabine added. “I appreciate you not letting me crash into the ground. Although,” she grumbled, “it’s going to take me a solid week to fix this thing.” She held up her jetpack and Jaina saw the two blaster shots had caused more damage than she had intended. 

“Oops,” Jaina said apologetically, “sorry. I’ll help you fix it.” 

“Damn right you will,” Sabine replied, chuckling. Her face got serious and she put her hand on Jaina’s shoulder. “Well done today. Your clan will be very proud to call you one of their own.”

“Thank you,” Jaina said solemnly. “I hope I can make them proud one day.”

“You will,” Sabine said. She looked over as Rex joined them. Jaina noticed that Ahsoka and General Syndulla were discussing something off to the side, away from them. Jaina could only assume it was Rebellion business, and she seriously hoped whatever it was didn’t mean that they were leaving early.

Rex clapped her on the back, startling her. “Excellent job,” he said, beaming. 

“Thanks, Rex,” she replied, half-smiling, half-wincing. She was going to be sorer than she had initially thought; she was already starting to feel the effects of her impact with the ground. 

“So, what are you up to now?” Emry asked as they began walking towards the entrance to the training area. “Does Ahsoka have anything else planned for you?”

“Nope,” Jaina said happily. “She said I’m free to do whatever I want the rest of the day.” 

“Well, what would you like to do with all that new free time?” Emry asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice. That was a very good question, and Jaina thought about it while they walked. Suddenly it dawned on her. She knew exactly how she wanted to spend the rest of the day.

“I want to go flying,” she said, grinning at Emry. 

Emry looked taken aback. “You know how to fly?”

“Of course not,” Jaina replied. “That’s why you’re going to fly, and I’m going to sit there and enjoy it.” She lowered her voice a little, not wanting Sabine or Rex to overhear her. “You got to see part of my world today…now I want to see part of yours.” 

Emry looked at her, and, realizing she was being serious, broke into a wide grin. “Okay,” she said, then glanced behind them at Ahsoka and the general. “I’ll just need to get permission first.”

Jaina wasn’t sure if the general would grant Emry permission to take her ship out, but she did, and an hour later the two of them were walking into the docking bay where it was parked. Jaina could feel Emry’s excitement, and that only increased her own. She was also ecstatic to have the afternoon all to themselves. 

Emry fired the ship up and got them into the air, quickly leaving the city behind. She wasted no time, and soon they were zipping over the grasslands, twisting and turning, climbing, diving, and rolling every which way. Jaina had never experienced anything like it before, and it was thrilling. Just as thrilling was feeling the sheer joy radiating off of Emry. She was absolutely in her element, and Jaina was extremely happy she’d suggested this.

At one point, she glanced over and saw Emry’s face was lit up with happiness she’d never seen from her before. She had a feeling this was the first time in a very long time she had flown just for the fun of it. Emry eventually slowed the ship, and they lazily flew over one of the mountain ranges. Jaina had no idea where on the planet they were, but she didn’t much care. 

“Umm, you didn’t happen to bring any food, did you?” Jaina asked, breaking the silence as she felt her stomach growl.

Emry shot her a guilty look. “No, I completely forgot. Are you hungry?” Jaina nodded, and Emry consulted the display in front of her. “Looks like there’s a small city not far from here. I have to make a stop anyway, so we’ll just go there and find something to eat. Is that okay?” 

“Sure,” Jaina said, mentally frowning. She had to make a stop? Jaina couldn’t recall her saying anything about needing to make a stop before they left. She wondered if this was some sort of Rebellion business and found that that thought made her a little angry. 

This was supposed to be a fun afternoon, with just the two of them. Sure, she supported what Emry did for the Rebellion, but that didn’t mean she was ready or even willing to be a part of it herself. Especially if it wasn’t her choice.

Emry set the ship down on the outskirts, and they walked in silence towards one of the entrances. If Emry had any indication of Jaina’s growing anger, she didn’t let on as she led the way into the city. It was bustling, as the locals went about their daily business. 

Finally, Jaina couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed Emry’s arm and pulled her into one of the side streets. It was just as busy as the main road, and Jaina pulled her off to the side, against the wall of one of the shops.

“What’s this ‘stop’ you have to make?” she bit out, crossing her arms. A guilty look flashed across Emry’s face, and she seemed to shrink back a little but didn’t say anything. They weren’t going anywhere until Emry answered her, so she tried again.

“What is it? Why won’t you tell me?” The longer Emry took to answer, the angrier she was getting. “If this is Rebellion business—” 

“I made a bet with Rex and I lost!” Emry blurted out, cutting her off. It wasn’t the answer she was expecting, and Jaina just blinked at her. Emry continued, the words rushing out: “I lost and now I owe him the most expensive bottle of whiskey I can find. That’s why I had to make a stop.” 

She was doing everything she could to not look Jaina in the eye. The whole thing was so ridiculous Jaina couldn’t help but laugh, and the anger melted away. Emry finally looked at her, the fear in her eyes turning to embarrassment.

“What, may I ask, was this bet about?” she said, and Emry cringed. 

“It was about you,” she replied with a sigh.

“What about me?” Jaina said, frowning. She watched as Emry’s face started to turn red, and she was fidgeting. “Emry…” The warning was obvious in her voice.

“I told Rex it wasn’t fair that you had to take on all four of us at once,” Emry finally said. “He told me if Ahsoka had trained you half as well as he expected her to, that it wouldn’t matter. And then he bet me that you’d beat us easily.” 

“And you took it?” Jaina asked incredulously. Emry nodded shamefully. 

“I can’t—” she started to say, then shook her head. “I honestly can’t believe you bet against me. I would’ve thought you’d have more faith in me than that.” She wasn’t angry, but definitely a little hurt.

“I’m sorry!” Emry exclaimed, and Jaina could tell she was starting to get upset. “Now you see why I didn’t want to tell you.” 

Jaina sighed and decided this wasn’t worth ruining their afternoon over. “Well, now you owe me a bottle of whatever I want, on top of what you owe Rex.” 

Emry gave her a weak smile and nodded. Just then, someone trying to push past Jaina on the busy, narrow street bumped into her, hard. She stumbled and fell directly into Emry, cursing under her breath. Emry grabbed her, stopping her fall; Jaina turned her head and glared at the man. He mumbled an apology as he kept moving, and Jaina just shook her head.

“Sorry,” she said, turning back to Emry. She suddenly became very aware that Emry’s hands were still on her hips, and they were now standing extremely close to one another.

“It’s okay,” Emry quietly replied. The intense look in her eyes from the night before was back, and Jaina was immediately struck with the same urge she’d had then. This time, she was determined to act on it. Right as she started to lean in, Emry’s wrist comm chimed. Emry flashed her the guiltiest look she’d ever seen, and Jaina silently pleaded with her not to answer it. 

“It could be the general,” Emry said apologetically, reading her mind. “Yes?” she said, answering it. Jaina rolled her eyes and took a step back as Rex’s voice came through. 

“Just wanted to make sure you haven’t forgotten what you need to bring back with you,” he said cheerily.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t,” Emry replied, clearly annoyed. She kept her eyes on Jaina as she spoke. 

“Good,” Rex said. “Don’t forget…the most expensive—” Emry rolled her eyes and shut the comm off before he could say another word. 

Jaina gave her a wry smile. “Guess we better get his prize before he calls again. Come on…traitor.” She turned to start walking back towards the main road, but Emry grabbed her hand and pulled her back. She slid her hands around Jaina’s waist again, and for a second they stared at each other. 

Not wanting to chance another interruption, Jaina leaned in and gently pressed her lips against Emry’s. She was instantly rocked with an explosion of emotion from Emry, and it mingled with her own. Emry eagerly returned the kiss and gripped her waist tighter, pressing them together. 

The world around them melted away as Jaina fell into the emotion of the moment. She wrapped her arms around Emry and kissed her harder, not entirely believing what was happening was real. Eventually, Emry broke away and leaned her forehead against Jaina’s. 

“I have been wanting to do that for a long time,” she whispered, her eyes still closed. Jaina smiled happily and gently kissed her again. Without warning, her stomach growled and Emry laughed as she pulled her head away again. 

“As much as I’d love to stay here forever, we should probably get you some food,” she said. Jaina gave her a pouty look. Emry laughed again and pulled her in for one more kiss. “Come on,” she said, taking Jaina’s hand, “this traitor still owes you a bottle of whatever you want.”

They made their way to the local cantina, eating until neither one of them could anymore. Bellies full, they lazily worked their way up the main street, stopping occasionally to browse what the local shops and vendors had to offer. 

They eventually found the local alcohol shop, and true to her word, Emry bought Jaina whatever she wanted, along with the most expensive bottle of whiskey the shop had, for Rex. Neither one of them was ready to go back home just yet, so they took their time getting back to the ship.

“Where would you like to go now?” Emry asked her, once they were on board. 

“I don’t know, I’m pretty content staying right here with you,” Jaina replied, and Emry rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. Jaina grinned at her. “Honestly, I don’t care. Surprise me.”

Emry cocked her head, thought for a moment, then grinned back and fired up the ship. Jaina sat back and watched as they climbed through the clouds. However, Emry didn’t level them off, and pretty soon they’d broken atmosphere. Her curiosity piqued as they headed away from Lothal, out into space. After a few minutes, Emry slowly turned the ship back around and killed the thrusters, leaving them floating there. 

Lothal loomed large through the viewport. Jaina hadn’t seen it since the day she’d arrived. It had looked so pitiful back then, the damage caused by the Empire evident all over its surface. But now, the evidence of the regrowth she could feel through the Force was laid out before her.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured. And it truly was. What was once brown was now green again, and the skies were clear, free of the smoke that had once clouded the surface. 

“I know,” Emry said, and Jaina realized she was looking at her.

“I meant the planet,” Jaina said dryly, but she was smiling. Emry just chuckled and they both fell silent, taking in the view. 

“This is what I love the most,” Emry said softly. “Up here, away from everything. It’s quiet, peaceful.” She snorted. “At least when no one’s trying to kill you, it is.” 

Jaina gave her a sympathetic look but didn’t say anything. What could she say? She had no idea what Emry had been through. An idea hit her, and she bent down and rummaged through the bag they’d brought with them from the city. Emry watched her curiously until Jaina pulled out the bottle of alcohol she had gotten her. 

She popped the lid, took a drink, then passed the bottle to Emry, who happily accepted it. They sat in silence for a while, slowly passing the bottle back and forth, just enjoying each other’s company. 

“You should come with us,” Emry eventually said, passing the bottle back to her. “The Rebellion could use you.” 

Jaina grimaced and took a drink. The day had been going so well, too. “Oh, come on,” Emry huffed, catching the look on her face. “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it before.”

“Actually,” Jaina said, looking at her pointedly, “I haven’t.” 

And it was the truth. She’d spent the last eight months in a completely different world than Emry had, where the war was just an afterthought. The only time it had ever crossed her mind, was when she’d think about Emry and what she was doing. But even then, those thoughts were focused more on Emry herself, and not the war. 

“Then what’s the point of all this training you’ve been doing if you’re not going to use it,” Emry said, obviously annoyed. She crossed her arms and stared out the viewport. 

Damn. Jaina didn’t want to admit it, but Emry had her there. Of course, she knew why she’d been training, but she didn’t want to share that with Emry. No sense in worrying her over something that hadn’t happened yet.

“Well, just so you know, the general is probably going to formally ask you to join,” Emry continued, her voice flat. “I know she wants Ahsoka to come back, and now that you’ve shown what you can do, I wouldn’t be surprised if she asks you both before we leave.” 

Well, that changed things. Ahsoka had never actually said Jaina’s training was over, but she had a sense that the focus of it was about to shift after today. The idea of parting ways with Ahsoka suddenly terrified her. She hadn’t realized how much she’d come to lean on her master until just now. The uneasiness she was feeling must have been written all over her face because Emry reached over and grabbed her hand. 

“You don’t have to decide today,” she said gently. “Just, promise me you’ll at least think about it?” 

Jaina closed her eyes for a second, leaning into the calm of Emry’s presence. “I promise,” she said, giving Emry a faint smile.

“Good,” Emry said, and she yanked Jaina out of her chair and into her lap. “Because I’m not sure I can wait another eight months before I see you again.” Jaina couldn’t argue with that, and she bent her head and kissed her. 

Once again, everything else melted away, and within seconds she’d completely forgotten what they had been talking about. All that mattered was Emry. The kiss intensified, and Jaina’s breathing hitched as Emry’s hands started to slowly rub up and down her back. The emotions roiling through them both were intense and almost overwhelming.

She slowly kissed down Emry’s neck, then back up to her ear, finally making her way back to her mouth. Emry’s lips hungrily grabbed hers, and her hands started to tug at the edge of Jaina’s shirt, trying to untuck it from her trousers. And then—as if on cue—the ship’s comm chimed. They froze, their heavy breathing the only other sound in the cockpit. 

Whoever it was, hailed them again, and Jaina groaned as Emry reached over her and punched a button. 

“Where are you guys?” Sabine’s voice came through the speaker. Jaina could detect a slight hint of annoyance in it. She didn’t think they’d been gone that long. Had they? 

“Uh—we were—um, just on our way back,” Emry stammered, cringing at how she sounded.

Jaina flashed her a mischievous grin and started to quietly kiss down her neck again. She intertwined her fingers with Emry’s and forced her hands back against the chair, pinning them there. Emry’s body shuddered slightly, and she heard a very soft moan escape from her lips.

“Well, Hera needs her ship back, so get back here as soon as you can,” came the reply from Sabine. 

“All right,” Emry said, the strain evident in her voice. “We’ll be back shortly.” Jaina released her, and Emry reached over and shut the comm off. 

“That was,” she said, breathing heavily, “very mean.” Jaina grinned and shrugged. 

“That was your punishment for betting against me,” she replied. She grabbed Emry’s face and kissed her, softly this time, before standing back up and going back to her chair. “Take us home, Lieutenant Manewal.”

“It’s Captain Manewal, thank you very much,” Emry stated, smiling as she fired up the thrusters.

“Oh, look at you,” Jaina said, chuckling. “And when were you going to tell me you got promoted?” 

Emry shrugged. “Right now I guess. It happened a few weeks ago.” 

“Well, congratulations,” Jaina said. “I wish I could’ve been there.” Emry gave her a melancholic look. 

“I wish you could’ve, too,” she replied. “But, hopefully, you’ll be at the next one?”

Jaina grinned at her. “Absolutely.” Emry beamed in response and they fell silent as they reentered the atmosphere and headed home. 

Jaina couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear at how the day had turned out. Ahsoka had been right after all. The change she’d felt in the Force had most certainly been a positive one.


	16. Lost & Found

Jaina bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. One glance around the room told her she was still on Lothal, and not Mandalore as she had been in the vision. She put her head in her hands, replaying what she’d just seen. It had been her parents all right, of that she was certain. They were older, of course, but it was definitely them. The others, she wasn’t so sure about. 

She felt Emry stir next to her, and looked down, hoping she hadn’t woken her up. She was still sleeping peacefully, and Jaina closed her eyes, feeling her now-familiar presence around her. She let the soothing effect of it flow over her, calming her frayed nerves. Her thoughts drifted, and she smiled to herself as the memory of yesterday came rushing back. 

The day had been the best she’d ever had, between passing her test and finally getting to spend time with Emry. A rush of warmth surged through her as she recalled how it felt when she’d first kissed her, and then what had happened on the ship. General Syndulla had not been too pleased with either one of them for being gone so long, and Emry had apologized profusely once they got back. 

They’d spent the rest of the evening trying to act normal around everyone, even though Jaina knew Emry was craving her touch just as badly as she craved Emry’s. Thankfully, no one but Ahsoka seemed to notice. Jaina was finally able to excuse herself not long after dinner, feigning exhaustion from the day’s activities. She didn’t have to wait long before Emry joined her. 

Her heartbeat quickened as she thought about what happened after that. It wasn’t like she’d never been with anyone before. She had, plenty of times, but it was always after a night of drinking, where she just needed to forget about whatever terrible thing it was that she’d done that day. The alcohol also helped to dull her senses, so she didn’t have to feel whatever the other person was feeling. 

This had been the complete opposite experience. She wanted to feel everything, to get lost in the emotions of it all. And get lost she did. Every other time had always been a quick affair, only wanting to satisfy a need, and nothing more. This time, she was in no rush, and the difference had resulted in an experience she couldn’t quite describe in either of the languages she was fluent in. She was pretty sure nothing in the galaxy could ever feel as good, both physically and emotionally.

“Jaina?” Emry’s sleepy voice jolted her from her thoughts. She felt Emry’s hand graze her back as she reached for her.

“Jaina?” Emry said again, her voice stronger and full of concern. Jaina could sense she was awake, or close to it, now. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Jaina said calmly, turning to look at her. “Everything’s fine, go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She tried to give Emry a reassuring smile, but Emry saw right through her.

“Has anyone ever told you, you’re a terrible liar?” she said, giving Jaina a slightly irritated look. 

“Once or twice,” Jaina replied, chuckling. She really didn’t want to tell Emry about the vision, but she knew she wasn’t going to let it go. 

“I had a vision,” she finally said. Emry looked at her, confused. “It’s like a dream,” Jaina explained, “but more real. They come through the Force, and they’ll show me things that either have happened in the past or might happen in the future.”

“So, what did this one show you?” Emry asked carefully. “The past or the future?”

“I—I’m not sure,” Jaina replied, closing her eyes. She replayed the vision in her head again, but there was no way she could tell. Her parents were older, but that didn’t mean anything. She hadn’t seen them in years, of course, they were going to look older, just as she did.

“What was the vision about?” Emry tentatively asked. She must’ve sensed Jaina’s hesitation, because she quickly added, in a small voice, “you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to though.” 

“No, it’s okay,” Jaina replied, opening her eyes again and looking at Emry. “It was about my parents. I saw them, on Mandalore. With other members of my family that I’ve never seen before.”

“How do you know they were other members of your family?” Emry cut in. Jaina gave her a sad smile.

“They were wearing the same symbol that’s etched into my lightsaber,” she said. Emry nodded her head in understanding. 

“There were others from different clans there as well, wearing symbols I don’t recognize. They were—” her voice caught in her throat as she got to the worst part of the vision. Emry reached over and gently took her hand. 

“They were attacked,” she finished. “A lot were killed, some were captured. Including—” she swallowed hard “—my parents. They were taken, along with a couple of others.”

Emry’s eyes widened in shock. “You saw all this?” she asked incredulously. Jaina nodded. “Do you know who took them?” Jaina nodded again, feeling familiar anger, mixed with a little fear, rise inside her.

“The Empire,” she said bitterly. 

“What would the Empire want with your parents?” Emry asked. This was the part Jaina didn’t want to tell her about. It had been the Inquisitor who took them, and Jaina knew exactly why. It had taken nearly a year, but the Inquisitor had finally figured out a way to draw her out of hiding.

“Jaina,” Emry said forcefully, pulling her out of her thoughts. Jaina gazed at her, and mentally chided herself. She had no reason to keep this from Emry anymore. 

“Did anyone ever tell you why I was on Akiva when you first met me?” she quietly asked. 

“No,” Emry answered slowly, narrowing her eyes. Her expression then turned thoughtful. “I guess I never bothered to ask though. And now that you mention it—” she paused, cocking her head “—how did a former Imperial officer end up on a backwater world like that?”

Jaina smiled grimly and then proceeded to tell Emry everything, starting with what happened on Garel. Emry raptly listened as she talked. By the time she was finished, she felt much better. Emry, on the other hand, had just grown angrier, the more she heard.

“So that’s why you think they were taken?” Emry asked after Jaina had explained that she’d seen the Inquisitor in her vision. “So, she can use them as bait, to find you?”

“Yes,” she replied, keeping her voice calm. “But like I said, I have no idea if it’s happened already, or if it’s going to happen.” She needed to find a way to calm Emry down, or neither one of them was going to get any more sleep tonight. 

Emry laid back down and put her arms under her head, thinking. Jaina sat quietly next to her, giving her the time she needed to process what she’d told her. Finally, Emry turned her head and looked at her.

“So, what are you going to do?” she asked. Jaina detected a slight hint of trepidation in her voice.

“I’ll talk to Sabine in the morning,” Jaina replied, again keeping her tone calm. Emry’s emotions were hovering between fear and anger, and Jaina knew how dangerous a combination that was. 

“I’ll see if she can contact her mother again and find out what’s going on,” she continued. “I’m not going to do anything until I have more information.”

Emry nodded, and Jaina sensed some of the fear and anger fading away. She laid down next to her, putting her head on Emry’s chest. Emry wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly, gently kissing the top of her head. They stayed like that for a long time, until Jaina felt the last bit of fear and anger leave Emry. She tilted her head up, to see if Emry was still awake.

She was, but only barely. Jaina smiled to herself and softly kissed her, before lying back down. She would worry about her vision tomorrow. For now, she was content to enjoy the little moments like this she had with Emry. She had a feeling it’d be a while before they happened again. She listened as Emry’s breathing slowed, signaling she’d finally fallen asleep, and it wasn’t long before Jaina joined her.

The rest of the night was mercifully vision-free. It didn’t take long, however, after they finally got up the next morning, for the worry to start building. Jaina waited until Emry, Rex, and General Syndulla left to go run errands in the city before she pulled Ahsoka aside and told her about what she'd seen.

“We should see if Sabine has had any contact with her mother,” Ahsoka said after Jaina had finished telling her. The concerned look on Ahsoka’s face only added to Jaina’s growing worry. 

“I had the same thought,” Jaina said. Just then, Sabine walked out of her room, and the two of them simultaneously turned and looked at her. She noticed Ahsoka and Jaina staring and frowned at them.

“What?” she asked. “Why are you both looking at me like that?” Ahsoka beckoned her over, and once she had joined them, Jaina again recounted her vision from the night before. Sabine’s eyes grew wide as Jaina spoke, and Jaina could feel the worry flowing off of her.

“I haven’t talked to my mother recently, but I’ll call her right now,” Sabine said. She immediately walked over to the holoprojector and keyed it on. They didn’t have to wait long before Sabine’s mother appeared, wearing the same vaguely annoyed look Jaina had seen the last time she saw Sabine speak to her.

“Yes?” her mother said, the vague annoyance on her face evident in her voice as well. Jaina couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Sabine’s mother always was.

“Has anything happened on Mandalore recently?” Sabine tentatively asked. “Have any of the clans been attacked by the Empire?”

“Sabine, you do realize we’re at war with the Empire here, right?” her mother retorted. “They attack us all the time. Usually unsuccessfully,” she added, a hint of pride in her voice.

“Okay, well, what about any recent successful attacks?” Sabine asked, and Jaina could sense she was growing frustrated. “Perhaps one where our people were killed, and some may have been captured?”

Jaina’s heart sank as she watched Sabine’s mother go from looking surprised to wary. She had been hoping what she’d seen had been in the future, giving them a chance to stop it. Based on her mother’s reaction, however, it appeared that wasn’t the case. Now the question was, how long ago had it occurred? And would there still be a chance for her to save her parents?

Sabine’s mother didn’t answer and instead looked over at someone or something out of the view of the holo. She gave a slight nod, then stepped to the side, allowing another figure to join her. Jaina felt her eyes widen when she saw her. She looked vaguely familiar, but Jaina couldn’t place where or when she’d seen her. But there was no mistaking the symbol painted on the shoulders of her armor. It was the same one etched into Jaina’s lightsaber.

“Why do you want to know?” the woman asked. Her tone was also wary. “More importantly,” she continued, narrowing her eyes, “how did you know?”

Sabine bowed her head respectfully to the woman before speaking. “I think I know why that particular group was attacked, and why they took who they did. As for how I know,” she lowered her head, “I—I can’t tell you that.” 

Jaina cringed as she saw both Sabine’s mother and the other woman instantly grow angry. She knew Sabine was just trying to protect her but now wasn’t the time. 

“Sabine,” her mother said, the warning clear in her voice. “Whatever you know, you need to tell us. Now.” 

Sabine glanced over at Jaina and Ahsoka, her eyes pleading for them to tell her what to do. Jaina took a deep breath and stepped up beside Sabine. 

“She knows because of me,” Jaina said. The two women stared at her for a moment, their intense gaze making Jaina more than a little uncomfortable. Still, she stared right back, crossing her arms and refusing to let them intimidate her.

“And who are you?” the other woman asked scornfully. 

“I’m the reason the Empire attacked that particular group,” Jaina answered. “I’m the reason why they didn’t just kill everyone. I know who they took, and I know why.”

“And why should we believe anything you say? We don’t know who you are,” the woman responded. 

“Because two of the people who were taken are my parents,” Jaina replied, watching their reactions. She wasn’t disappointed. Sabine’s mother didn’t even try to hide her surprise, and the other woman visibly took a step back, stunned.

“No, it can’t be,” she breathed, peering closer at the holo. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What are your parent’s names?”

“Leena and Hiram Kavos,” Jaina answered. The woman’s eyes widened again, and Jaina knew she believed her now.

“They thought you were dead,” the woman said, shaking her head in disbelief. 

“Not yet,” Jaina said. “Although the Empire would certainly like me that way. That’s why they took my parents. They’re bait.”

“That makes sense,” the woman said contemplatively. Jaina was dying to find out who this woman was and how she was related to her and couldn’t hold her curiosity back any longer. 

“You clearly know who I am, but I honestly have no idea who you are,” she said, slightly embarrassed. 

“No, you wouldn’t remember,” she said, giving her a sad smile. “You would’ve been too young. Your mother is my cousin. My name is Bo-Katan.” 

Jaina nodded slowly, then switched gears. “Do you have any idea where the Empire took them?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Bo-Katan replied, shaking her head. “It happened a couple of days ago, and we only learned of the attack when they failed to check-in. We assumed everyone had been killed, until we received a message informing us of their capture, along with a demand—for you. None of it made any sense until now.”

Jaina frowned, thinking. She cast a sideways glance at Ahsoka, who was watching the whole exchange with her usual impassive look. She seemed content to let her apprentice figure this one out on her own. Quickly coming to a decision, Jaina looked back at Bo-Katan.

“Well, since the Empire wants me so badly, then that’s exactly what we’re going to give them,” she said firmly. A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Bo-Katan’s lips as she nodded, then turned her head to quietly speak to Sabine’s mother.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Sabine asked Jaina, while the other two women conversed on their own. 

“If it’ll get them to let my parents go, then yes,” Jaina said, then she shrugged. “And I only said I’d let the Empire have me. I never said I wouldn’t go without a fight.” 

“Okay, well, you’re not going alone,” Sabine said, crossing her arms defiantly. Jaina smiled. She knew Sabine would say that, and frankly, she was glad she did. Jaina glanced over at Ahsoka again, who gave her a slight nod, along with a faint smile, before turning and walking outside, keying her wrist comm as she did. 

“How soon can you be here?” Bo-Katan asked, finishing her conversation with Sabine’s mother.

“Within the next rotation,” Sabine quickly replied. “And we’ll be bringing some help if that’s all right.” Jaina gave her a curious look, which Sabine ignored.

Bo-Katan eyed her skeptically for a second, before giving her a nod of approval. “Your mother will send you the coordinates when you’re en route.” Sabine’s mother nodded in acknowledgment. “Just be warned, the Empire has tried to blockade the planet, mostly unsuccessfully thanks to our continued attacks, but be prepared to encounter possible resistance when you arrive.”

“Copy that,” Sabine said. The holo abruptly cut off as Bo-Katan ended the transmission. Sabine immediately went back into her room without another word, leaving Jaina standing there alone. Unsure of what else to do, she wandered into her own room and sat down on the bed.

She was finally going home. However, not in the way she’d imagined it, and under the worst possible circumstances she could think of. The weight of her decision started to sink in, pressing down on her. There were so many things she needed to say to her parents, and she’d dreamt of the day she’d get to say them. Now, all she could think of, is if she’d even get the chance to. 

She knew she should start packing at least some of the things she wanted to take with her, but instead, she just sat there, staring at the floor, unable to move. Eventually, the door opened and Emry walked in. Jaina didn’t even bother looking up, afraid she might burst into tears if she looked at her. 

Emry didn’t say a word, and immediately walked over and sat down next to her, putting her arm around her. Jaina laid her head on Emry’s shoulder, and they sat there quietly for a long moment before Emry finally spoke.

“Ahsoka filled us in on what’s going on,” she said. “You know you’re not doing this alone.” Jaina sighed. She wasn’t surprised. She didn’t want Emry anywhere near this, but she’d already known there was no way she’d be able to keep her or any of them out of this fight. 

“I know,” Jaina replied, finally raising her head and giving Emry a weak smile. Emry’s eyes searched hers for a moment, then she leaned in and kissed her. Jaina eagerly returned the kiss, suddenly wanting nothing more than to just forget about everything and stay here with Emry forever. 

She laid back and pulled Emry on top of her, kissing her deeply, needing to be as close to her as she possibly could. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the thought occurred to her that they didn’t have time for this, but she pushed it aside. Emry had said it herself, they needed to make the most of the time they had together, and right now, she was going to do just that. She would put purpose ahead of her feelings later.

Everything else faded away as they threw themselves into the moment and each other. Emry’s presence, normally a soothing beacon of calm for Jaina, was now a raging storm of intense need and emotion. It assailed her senses, ratcheting up her own need and desire to an even higher level. Within minutes, Jaina had completely forgotten about her vision, her parents, and her decision to turn herself in to the Empire. 

The reality of the situation, however, wasn’t going to be denied, and it wasn’t long before they were both startled by a knock on the door. They froze, and before Jaina could say anything, Ahsoka’s voice broke the silence.

“We’re leaving in twenty minutes. The two of you need to be ready to go by then.” Her voice was calm and Jaina couldn’t hear or feel any frustration coming from her. 

“Okay,” she called in reply, “we will be.” She sighed and laid back down on top of Emry, her head resting on her chest. Emry began to gently run her fingers up and down her back and Jaina sighed again, more heavily this time.

“I wish we could just stay right here, forever,” she said softly. 

“Me too,” Emry replied. She kissed the top of Jaina’s head. “But we can’t.” She didn’t sound angry or upset, just matter-of-fact.

Jaina nodded. “Purpose before feelings,” she mumbled. She didn’t like it, but knowing Emry was on the same page when it came to something like this, made getting out of the bed a lot easier. 

They quickly got dressed again and grabbed their things. Fifteen minutes later, she was seated in the back of one of the speeders, Emry right next to her, as they drove towards the city. It wasn’t something she was used to, having someone unconditionally support her like Emry was. She had no idea how to even begin to express her gratitude, and only hoped she could make it up to her someday. 

They parked the speeders on a side street and walked the rest of the way to the docking bay. Jaina slipped her hand into Emry's and held it as they walked, not caring in the slightest what the others might think. She had a feeling they already knew something was going on between them anyway, and, at the moment, she needed the comfort that Emry’s touch brought.

Once they entered the bay, Emry left her to go assist General Syndulla. Jaina trailed behind the others, suddenly a little sad that she was leaving Lothal behind. It had become her home—the place where she’d found herself, her true self. Though, she couldn’t help but smile a little as she remembered how different things had been, how different she had been when she’d first arrived. 

Sabine noticed her lagging behind everyone else, watching them board the ship, and walked over to her. “So…you and Emry, huh?” she said, playfully jostling her arm a little.

“Yeah,” Jaina replied, smiling and blushing slightly. 

“I’m happy for you,” Sabine said, looking back at the ship. Everyone else was now aboard. “And I can tell she makes you happy.”

“She does,” Jaina simply replied. They both gazed at the ship for a moment, before Sabine turned back to her. 

“Good,” she said. She motioned towards the ship. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Jaina replied, nodding. “Let’s go home.”


	17. Family Affair

The starlines collapsed and Mandalore rushed into view. Jaina immediately noticed two things: The first was that her homeworld looked exactly the same as it did when she’d left it. And the second one, which sent a chill up her spine, was the two Star Destroyers parked in orbit in front of them. Bo-Katan’s warning had been correct, and she silently hoped they wouldn’t have to blast their way around them. 

Emry had told her General Syndulla was one of the best pilots the Rebellion had, but Jaina didn’t feel the need to learn that for herself firsthand. She kept her eyes on the destroyers as she listened to the general and Sabine quietly discuss options if the Empire decided to shoot first and ask questions later. Anxiety was dripping off of everyone, and Jaina held her breath as one of the destroyers finally hailed them.

She glanced at Ahsoka, who was sitting beside her. Her face may not have shown any worry, but Jaina could feel it flowing off of her, the same as the others. Their worry was unwarranted, however, as the destroyer allowed them to pass without even asking to see any clearance codes. General Syndulla and Sabine exchanged stunned looks, and Jaina wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that the Empire had their hands full combatting the attacks from her people on the planet below.

Regardless of the reason, she relaxed slightly as they entered the atmosphere and headed towards the coordinates Sabine’s mother had provided. The same barren desert she’d grown to hate as a child stretched out before them, although now she was immensely glad to see it. After about an hour, she noticed a very large encampment looming ahead of them, settled against the side of a cliff. 

General Syndulla set the ship down next to a bunch of starfighters and other ships that were parked in a makeshift landing area outside the camp. Suddenly very nervous, Jaina sat there and stared out the viewport instead of getting ready to go, like everyone else. She felt Ahsoka lay a hand on her shoulder, as the general and Sabine filed out past them. 

“Let’s go,” she gently said. 

Jaina took a steadying breath, then stood up and grabbed her things. They descended into the cargo hold, where everyone was waiting. She walked up beside Emry, who gently took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as they started down the ramp. Jaina could see two figures clad in full armor coming to meet them. As they got closer, they removed their helmets, and Jaina immediately recognized them as Sabine’s mother and Bo-Katan.

They all seemed to know one another—well besides Emry, but Sabine quickly made those introductions. It made Jaina feel even more uncomfortable than she already was. She inched closer to Ahsoka, who had hung back a little from the rest of the group, leaning on her master’s calm and confident presence. 

Bo-Katan finally noticed the two of them and walked over, a small smile playing on her lips. She looked Jaina up and down, and Jaina saw the flash of surprise cross her face as she noticed her lightsaber. She gazed at it for a moment, before looking back up at both of them.

“The last I’d heard,” she calmly told Ahsoka, “was that you were dead.” She extended her hand. “It’s good to see that’s not true.”

“The Empire has certainly tried,” Ahsoka replied, grasping Bo-Katan’s arm. She quickly glanced down at Jaina before adding, “they won’t stop until we’re all dead. Which is, of course, why we’re here.”

“Yes, I heard about the other two,” Bo-Katan said solemnly, releasing Ahsoka’s arm. “I didn’t know them well, but from the little I did see, I could tell they were great warriors.” She inclined her head slightly. “I’m sorry.”

Ahsoka inclined her head in return. “And I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your warriors.” 

“Such is the cost of war,” Bo-Katan replied, and Ahsoka nodded. She finally turned her attention to Jaina but continued to speak to Ahsoka. “You once told me you were no longer a Jedi, but it appears as though you’ve taken my cousin on as your apprentice.” 

Jaina felt her face redden, and glanced at Ahsoka, wondering how she would respond. The two of them had already spoken at length about this a long time ago, and while they did consider themselves master and apprentice, neither wanted the title of Jedi. Jaina hadn’t cared one way or the other, but Ahsoka had been adamant about it. And, after hearing about what the Jedi had done to her, Jaina couldn’t blame her.

“You’re correct,” Ahsoka said, smiling, “on both accounts.” Bo-Katan gave them both a curious look, then decided to let it go.

“Well, thank you for keeping her safe,” she told Ahsoka, who inclined her head. She then extended her hand to Jaina. “And you…welcome home.” 

“Thank you,” Jaina replied, shaking her hand. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.” 

“Yes, about that,” Bo-Katan said, frowning. “Let’s get you settled in, then I can fill you in on what we know so far.” She turned and started walking back in the direction of the camp, and the rest of their group followed her. 

As they made their way through the base, Jaina couldn’t help but notice how many warriors there were, from all different clans including her own. And almost every single one stopped what they were doing and stared at the newcomers as they passed through. Jaina couldn’t feel any hostility coming from any of them, but there was a certain air of wariness that surrounded all of them. 

Bo-Katan showed them to two structures near the back of the camp. Both were set up as housing units; Sabine, Emry, and Jaina took one of them, while Ahsoka, General Syndulla, and Rex took the other. Bo-Katan and Sabine’s mother waited while they stored their things, then led them to a large command center that was located in the center of the compound. 

“Here’s what we know,” Bo-Katan said after they’d all gathered inside. She looked at Jaina. 

“Your parents were leading a group that was on their way back from raiding an Imperial weapons depot near the capital when they were ambushed by an unknown number of Imperial forces.” Jaina nodded. That fit so far with what she’d seen in her vision. 

“As I said before,” Bo-Katan continued, “based on the wreckage and bodies we found, we assumed everyone had been killed. Until the next day, when we received this.” She keyed on the display, and an intense wave of anger tore through Jaina as she, once again, came face to face with the Inquisitor. 

There were four prisoners total, two of which were her mother and father. All were being held at blaster point, and the Inquisitor’s lightsaber was trained on her parents. Jaina gazed at them, noting with a small amount of pride, that they didn’t appear to be afraid. Rather, they were glowering at the Inquisitor as she stood over them.

“I know about your daughter’s little secret, and I know you’re hiding her,” the Inquisitor said to her parents. “So, I’ll make you a deal.” She turned and seemed to speak directly to Jaina. 

“Turn yourself over to me, and they all go free. If you choose not to, or decide to try and free them yourself, well—” she gave a curt nod, and everyone jumped as one of the troopers fired a blaster bolt into the back of one of the prisoner’s heads. “The choice is yours” were the Inquisitor’s final words before the holo cut off. 

White-hot anger boiled inside her. Everyone was quiet, their anger mixing with hers, feeding it. It was stronger, more powerful than it had been that day with Sabine, and she knew she was on the verge of losing control again. Ahsoka, sensing what was going on, stepped up behind her and placed her hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her. She stood there, shaking, struggling to find control as Bo-Katan finally spoke.

“We’ve received no other messages since, indicating where they might be, or how you’re supposed to turn yourself in,” she said quietly. “For obvious reasons, we haven’t launched any attacks in an attempt to find them, but we do have our spies working day and night to try and find any information they can.”

“How do we know they’re still alive?” General Syndulla asked, saying aloud what everyone else was thinking. “What’s to say she didn’t just immediately kill them and only wants us to think they’re still alive, so we’ll give her what she wants? This is the Empire we’re talking about.”

“We don’t know that,” Bo-Katan conceded. “Right now, our best bet is to keep working to find out where they’re located. Once we know that, we can figure out the best way to get them out safely, without actually giving Jaina over to them.”

“All right,” General Syndulla said. “Well, whatever you need from us, just let me know.” Bo-Katan inclined her head, then turned to speak to Sabine’s mother. Everyone else broke off into their own small discussions, and Jaina turned around and looked at her master. 

“Go,” Ahsoka told her. “Just stay close to the base.” Jaina nodded once, and without saying a word to anyone, walked out the door. 

She headed outside the large walls of the compound and around to the base of the cliff that towered over it. She walked alongside it for a while before finally finding a small alcove. Not sensing any other creatures inside, she crawled in. 

It was dark, quiet, and peaceful inside, and she was completely hidden from anyone who might come looking for her. Her anger was still raging, and it took a long time before she could quiet her mind enough to settle into meditation. 

The sky had darkened considerably once she finally crawled out of her hiding spot, but she felt much better. She slowly walked back to the entrance of the base, watching the sunset in the distance. As desolate and barren as it was, she realized there was a certain beauty to her homeworld. It would never look like Lothal, but it was and would always be home. 

She wasn’t all that surprised to see Emry waiting for her when she got back to their new, temporary, home. Sabine was nowhere to be found, and Jaina assumed she was spending time with her own family. Emry gave her a sympathetic look when she walked in, and Jaina quickly crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her. Emry held her tightly, and she instantly began to relax as Emry’s presence enveloped her.

“Are you okay?” Emry asked after a while. 

“I am now,” Jaina replied, gently kissing her on the neck. She felt Emry shiver slightly and pulled back to look at her. “Sorry for disappearing like that. I needed to get away.”

“I understand,” Emry said. “Well, actually, I didn’t until Sabine explained it to me.” She cocked her head. “Did you really throw Sabine into a rock because you were mad?”

Jaina winced. “She told you about that, huh?” Emry slowly nodded, giving her a questioning look. 

“That…was a very bad day,” Jaina said, sighing. “I completely lost control, and unfortunately Sabine was on the other end of it.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure what would’ve happened had Ahsoka not stepped in.”

“Sabine said you disappeared for hours after that, too,” Emry said. “She said you were gone all night.” Jaina nodded. “Was it because you just needed to calm down, like today?” 

“Basically,” Jaina said. She thought for a moment. “When you get angry, like, really angry, what happens?”

Emry’s face looked thoughtful for a second before she answered. “I guess I get like you. Close up and want to just get away for a while so I can calm down. And I’ve been known to throw or hit things from time to time,” she added, chuckling. 

“But you’ve never hurt anyone else, physically, from it, have you?” Jaina asked. “You’ve never felt completely out of control?”

“No,” Emry said slowly. “There have been a few times where I’ve been so mad, I couldn’t see straight, but I’ve never felt the urge to hurt anyone. Besides the Empire of course.” She narrowed her eyes at Jaina. “Are you saying that’s what happened to you with Sabine? And today?”

“I didn’t intentionally hurt Sabine,” Jaina replied quietly. “But I also couldn’t control my actions that day. I feel emotions differently than you do. Because of my connection to the Force, they’re amplified, and they influence that connection in both good ways and bad. 

“When I let my anger control me that day, I felt more powerful than I ever have. And I lashed out, hurting Sabine in the process. And, if I’m being completely honest, it felt amazing. Even though I knew it was wrong, I didn’t try to control it. I didn’t want to.”

She studied Emry’s face as she spoke, looking for any signs of fear or revulsion, and was relieved to see there was none. Emry quietly listened to her talk, and Jaina could tell she was just trying to understand what she was hearing.

“But you did, eventually, right?” Emry said. “Control it, I mean.” Jaina nodded. “So, what stopped you? Sabine said you were completely different after you came back the next morning.”

“You mean, besides Ahsoka threatening me with her lightsabers?” Jaina said, smiling slightly. “You did.”

“Me?” Emry asked in confusion. “How did I stop you?”

“The day we got to Lothal after we parted ways, Ahsoka and I went to the remnants of a Jedi temple. She had me meditate there, and…I had a vision. I’m not going to go into details, but you were in that vision. Somehow, amid all the anger and rage I had that day I hurt Sabine, the image of you from that vision worked its way into my head. And it forced me to stop, to regain control. And I haven’t lost it since.”

The emotion behind Emry’s eyes as she studied Jaina’s face was intense. Jaina held her gaze, waiting to see what her reaction would be. Finally, Emry reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Jaina’s ear, then pulled her head to her and kissed her. Jaina mentally breathed a sigh of relief, wrapped her arms around Emry again, and pulled her closer, forgetting for a moment where they were.

Neither one of them were aware the door had opened until someone loudly cleared their throat, startling them both. They quickly broke apart, Emry’s eyes going wide as she saw who it was. Jaina turned around, the slight frustration she felt immediately turning to embarrassment when she realized it was Bo-Katan who had interrupted them.

“I thought I might speak with you for a bit,” she said to Jaina, a hint of amusement on her face. She then looked pointedly at Emry, whose face was the same shade of red as Jaina’s. Emry immediately got the hint and gave Jaina an apologetic look before hurrying out the door.

Bo-Katan chuckled as she watched her go. “You certainly are all grown up now,” she said, turning back to Jaina. She motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs and Jaina complied. “The last time I saw you, you were, oh about, five or six years old I think,” she mused, as she took a seat in one of the other chairs.

“I don’t remember you,” Jaina said, still embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I wouldn’t expect you to,” Bo-Katan replied. They sat quietly for a minute, and Jaina figured she might as well ask the question that had been bugging her since Sabine had first told her she had other family. She didn’t know if she’d ever get the chance to ask her parents, so maybe her cousin could give her some answers.

“Honestly, I didn’t know I had any family until Sabine told me,” she said, studying Bo-Katan’s face. She didn’t look surprised. “Why did my parents keep you and the rest of them from me?”

Bo-Katan sighed and sat back in her chair, a sad look briefly crossing her face. “To keep you safe,” she simply said.

“I don’t understand,” Jaina said, trying not to let her frustration creep into her voice. “Keep me safe from what?”

Bo-Katan sighed again. “Your mother and I have always been very close,” she said. “We grew up together, trained together, fought alongside one another for many years.” Jaina just looked at her, wondering what any of this had to do with answering her question.

“Her and your father were ecstatic when they had you,” she continued, chuckling. “Right in the middle of a war no less. You were the center of their universe, and everything they did was for you. They couldn’t wait for you to grow up so they could start training you to become a warrior, just like them.” She chuckled again. “Your father even fashioned two toy blasters for you as soon as you were big enough to hold them.”

Jaina sat back, stunned. There was no way the people she was describing could be her parents. At least, not the people she had known. Bo-Katan saw the look on her face and gave her a sympathetic one. 

“Obviously, that didn’t happen,” she said quietly. “You know what happened to Mandalore at the end of the Clone War.” Jaina nodded. Every child learned about those dark days.

“It was around that time, or shortly after, that you started to show signs that you were…different than the other children,” she continued. “Your mother pulled me aside and confided in me what she thought was going on. So, I watched you while you were playing with her one day.” She shook her head. “I’ll never forget it.

“She was making you laugh, playing some silly game, when you suddenly stopped and got very serious, and asked her why she was so scared. I was shocked. She had been laughing right along with you, but somehow, you’d known she was scared, and not happy like she was pretending to be. 

“She left me alone with you for a while after that, so you wouldn’t see how upset she was. And when I watched you lift one of your toys without touching it, that’s when I knew for sure.”

Jaina just sat there, dumbfounded. Ahsoka had told her the Jedi had discovered her when she was three, and she would’ve been right around the same age as her master when she’d first shown signs as well. Except things for her had turned out vastly different. 

“But at that point, there was nothing you could do about it," Jaina said softly. "The Jedi didn’t exist anymore.” It was all starting to make sense now. 

“No, they didn’t,” Bo-Katan said sadly, shaking her head. “Not long after that incident, word got back to Mandalore about what had happened to the Jedi. No one else knew about you besides me but hearing about what happened to the Jedi rightfully terrified them.

“And when we learned the Empire was hunting down any surviving Jedi or Force-sensitives they could find, your parents took you and went into hiding. It was getting harder to hide your secret, and they didn’t know who they could trust. All it would’ve taken was one person to accidentally see something and report you to the Empire, and they would’ve lost you. They weren’t willing to take that chance.”

Bo-Katan stopped and took a deep breath, then continued: “They cut themselves off from everyone except for me. I would stop by and check in on you occasionally, but eventually, even that became too dangerous.” She sighed heavily. “After the visits stopped, it was years before I heard from them again.”

Jaina stared at the ground. She finally had her answer, but the truth of it was almost more than she could bear. She’d always had a contentious relationship with her parents, especially the older she got, with most of the arguing and bickering centered around the fact that they never let her do anything. They’d had so many rules, and she felt as though they were smothering her. It’s why she’d left home the first chance she got. 

But now, after listening to what Bo-Katan had just told her, she realized they had just been trying to protect her. She suddenly felt terrible, for everything she’d done or said to them. All they had wanted was to keep her safe, and she had treated them horribly for it. Waves of guilt racked her as another realization hit her.

“They did all that…for me,” Jaina said, trying to hold back tears, “and then I went and did the one thing they feared the most.”

Bo-Katan gave her a pained look. “You couldn’t have known,” she said gently. “They tried to give you a normal life, as normal as they could. Telling you would’ve made things infinitely more complicated, for everyone.”

Jaina hung her head in shame. She knew she was right, but it wasn’t going to make her feel any better. “What happened? After I left?”

“They were devastated after you enrolled at the academy here, and reached out to me,” Bo-Katan replied. “They knew it was only a matter of time before the Empire discovered your secret. They held out hope while you were still here, that maybe you’d decide it wasn’t for you and come home, but then you left for Coruscant and it broke them.

“They waited and waited to hear from you, but eventually gave up and resigned themselves to the fact that you had been discovered and killed. They moved out of the capital and back in with the clan. Luckily, for them, war came once again, and they threw themselves into this fight.

“If I had known you were still alive, I would never have sent them on that raid in the first place,” she continued, shaking her head angrily. “It was extremely dangerous and had a high chance of failure, which is exactly why they volunteered. I honestly don’t think they cared if they lived or died anymore.”

Jaina was too ashamed to look up while Bo-Katan talked, both at what she’d done and at the tears she could no longer hold back. The anger had returned, but this time the only person she was mad at was herself. 

“We have to find them,” Jaina said quietly. “They have to know I’m still alive.”

“We will,” Bo-Katan replied, with more conviction than Jaina felt. “But right now, I’d like to hear what you’ve been up to since you left Mandalore. I have a feeling it’s, at the very least, an interesting story.”

Jaina wiped away the tears and looked at her, wondering where she should even start. Before she could say a word, however, they heard shouting coming from outside in the compound. Bo-Katan was on her feet and out the door in an instant, Jaina right behind her. She followed her towards the commotion, seeing that a large crowd had started to gather near the entrance. They were yelling at someone or something, and Jaina could hear obscenities being thrown out in both Mando’a and Basic. 

She pushed her way through the crowd and was finally able to see what all the fuss was about. Walking down the center of the now-formed gauntlet of warriors, was an Imperial officer, hands bound behind his back, and flanked on both sides by two members of her clan. He sneered at the crowd as he walked, clearly unafraid of the fact that he was all alone and surrounded by hostile warriors. 

They walked him right up to Bo-Katan, who was now standing in front of one of the structures near the command center. Gone was the sympathy and warmth Jaina had just seen on her face; in its place was a cold, calculating look that sent a shiver up her spine. Bo-Katan stared at the prisoner for a moment, then nodded once, and Jaina watched as he was shoved inside the building behind her. Bo-Katan then turned and followed them inside.

The crowd slowly started to disperse, and Jaina cautiously made her way over to the building, hesitating for only a moment before stepping inside. It was larger than it looked, with multiple rooms branching off from the area just inside the door. She couldn’t see the officer any more, but her cousin was standing off to the side, speaking to one of the warriors who’d brought him in. 

Not wanting to interrupt, she stood there and waited for them to finish their conversation. She felt Ahsoka before she ever saw her, and a minute later her master had joined her, along with General Syndulla. Bo-Katan joined them once she finished her conversation, the other warrior disappearing into one of the rooms.

“Right before you got here, we’d received intel from our spies that he—” she motioned with her head behind her “—was directly involved with the attack that happened a few days ago. I’ve had a team out since then trying to locate him. Looks like they finally did.”

Jaina felt her blood start to boil again. “So, what are you going to do with him?” she growled.

Bo-Katan gave her an evil smile. “What do you think?” She looked at Ahsoka and General Syndulla. “You are more than welcome to stay and watch if you’d like.”

Ahsoka nodded, but General Syndulla shook her head. “That’s okay,” she said, then turned to Ahsoka. “Fill me in, in the morning?” Ahsoka nodded her head once in acknowledgment, and the general left them. 

Bo-Katan turned around and began walking towards one of the rooms. A thought suddenly occurred to Jaina and she started forward, hoping to catch her cousin before they got started. However, Ahsoka caught her arm, stopping her in her tracks. Jaina whipped around, pulling her arm out of Ahsoka’s grasp.

“You know I can get the information out of him right now,” she hissed at her master. 

“Yes, but you’re not completely in control right now, are you?” Ahsoka retorted. She crossed her arms and gave her apprentice a hard look. “It’s too dangerous, for both you and him. I know they’re your family and I know you want to help find your parents, but you need to let Bo handle this her way.”

Jaina glared at her, but Ahsoka wasn’t backing down. “Fine,” she bit out. “But if they can’t get it out of him, I will.”

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. “No, you won’t. And that’s final. I meant what I said on Yavin. Don’t use it again.”

“Coming?” Bo-Katan asked, poking her head out the door. Fuming, Jaina turned on her heel and marched past Bo-Katan into the room. Ahsoka wasn’t far behind her. They took their seats against the wall, Jaina refusing to look at her master. 

She would do as she was told…for now. But there was too much at stake, and she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip by. If she saw an opening, she was going to take it.

Bo-Katan wasted no time once they were all inside. “Let’s begin, shall we?”


	18. Breaking Point

Somewhere around the third hour of the interrogation, Jaina finally lost what little patience she’d had. She was exhausted, and it didn’t help that they’d spent the last three hours simply beating a man who knew better than to talk. She sat there and watched, stewing over the fact that she could’ve ended this hours ago. Ahsoka sat calmly beside her, never saying a word, even though Jaina knew she could feel every bit of the frustration building in her.

She’d never allowed her interrogations to go on this long. It didn’t take her very long to figure out if someone was going to talk or not. They either responded to the physical prompting, or they didn’t. This officer fell squarely into the latter. And, just like the subjects she’d dealt with that were in the same category, the only way they were going to get the information they needed, was if she did what Ahsoka had expressly forbidden her to do. 

Deciding she couldn’t wait any longer, Jaina bowed her head and closed her eyes. She quickly reached through the Force and touched his mind. He was physically exhausted, but his mind still held the confident determination she’d seen in other Imperial officers just like him. Their arrogance at being able to withstand something most people couldn’t dripped off of them, and he was no different. She’d never taken any pleasure in the pain she’d caused the others, but she would enjoy this.

Wasting no more time, she forced her way in, feeling his mind recoil and hearing him gasp as she did. Even though he’d been repeatedly asked about it, the attack wasn’t at the forefront of his thoughts. That was reserved for the family he had, and Jaina felt a twinge of guilt as she forced her way past them. His mind was a tangled mess, and she pushed aside anything that didn’t have to do with the attack, her parents, or the Inquisitor. 

It didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for. Buried behind everything else, was a memory: his last encounter with the Inquisitor before his capture. It gave her every detail she needed. She started sifting through the memory, only faintly aware of the distress she was causing him. 

Suddenly, she felt a strong surge of anger that wasn’t her own. Her concentration wavered slightly but didn’t break. She was determined to get the information they needed, one way or another.

“That’s enough.” Ahsoka’s voice was frigid, and Jaina involuntarily shivered slightly as her master’s fury washed over her. Any other time she would’ve heeded the obvious warning, but he was giving her everything they needed, so she ignored it and pushed on.

In an instant, she was roughly hauled to her feet and pinned against the wall, her connection with the officer’s mind immediately severed. Never before had she ever had that connection unwillingly cut off, and the effect was instantaneous. Pain exploded behind her eyes as her mind tried to adjust to what had happened, and she let out a pained cry. 

“I said, that’s enough!” Ahsoka growled. 

Jaina shook her head, trying to clear the fog and the pain, and it finally subsided enough to allow her to open her eyes. Ahsoka was glaring at her, not unlike she did the day she’d lost control with Sabine, and her arm was stretched out in front of her, as she used the Force to hold Jaina against the wall. 

“You shouldn’t have stopped me,” Jaina spat out, glaring right back at her. “He was giving me everything we need!”

“And I told you not to do it,” Ahsoka retorted, anger flashing in her eyes.

“I did what needed to be done,” Jaina replied indignantly. “He wasn’t going to give them anything.”

Ahsoka didn’t respond, and they continued to scowl at each other, neither one of them willing to concede to the other. Jaina had completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room until Bo-Katan finally spoke up.

“The two of you. Outside. Now,” she said, her tone deadly. A chill went up Jaina’s back, and Ahsoka finally released her. Her cousin quickly strode out of the room, followed closely by Ahsoka. Jaina shakily followed her master, her body still feeling the aftereffects of the severed connection. 

“What the hell was that?” Bo-Katan hissed, once the door had closed behind them. 

No one spoke, and Jaina realized the two of them were now looking at her. She suddenly felt very small and wanted nothing more than to hide from both of them.

“Go on,” Ahsoka said, “tell her.” Jaina gave her a pained look, and Ahsoka narrowed her eyes in warning.

“It’s—” Jaina started, then she sighed in defeat. “It’s an ability I have. I’m able to access someone else’s mind when I want and see their thoughts.”

Bo-Katan looked visibly shocked. “And that’s what you were doing in there?”

“Yes,” Jaina said in a small voice, looking at the floor. She was sure her cousin was going to scold her, just as her master was, as soon as they were alone. No one spoke, and Jaina was too afraid to look at either one of them.

“So,” Bo-Katan said after a long moment, “what did you find in his thoughts?”

Jaina looked up at her in surprise, then quickly glanced at Ahsoka, who gave a reluctant shrug. 

“They’re alive,” she said. “All of them, they’re alive. I saw them. Well, he saw them, right before he was captured. The Inquisitor is there too. They’re being held at some sort of outpost somewhere. I don’t know where. I didn’t get that far before…” She trailed off, not wanting to anger her master any more than she already was.

Bo-Katan looked thoughtful as she digested this information. “Interesting. And this, ability, it causes someone pain when you do it?”

Jaina nodded. “Most people don’t want you sifting through their thoughts, and the more resistant they are, the more painful it is. At least, that’s what I’ve seen anyway.”

“Very interesting,” Bo-Katan said, and she began to pace. “But what if someone wasn’t resistant? What if they allowed you access, so to speak?”

“I have no idea,” Jaina replied. “I’ve never tried that before. I suppose it would still cause some discomfort but…I’m not sure.”

“But, even with some discomfort, he’d still be able to answer questions, right? And you’d be able to tell me if he’s lying or not?” 

Jaina nodded. “Absolutely. In my experience, the more pain someone is in, the quicker and easier it is to get answers.”

“What are you thinking?” Ahsoka asked warily. Bo-Katan stopped pacing and looked at them.

“He clearly has the information we need, and she—” she motioned to Jaina “—has the means to get it. But rather than having her root around in his head trying to find it, I think we try a different approach. Based on what I’ve just seen, I don’t think he’s going to be able to withstand that amount of pain again. So, let’s give him a chance to answer on his own. If he decides not to play—”

“—Then I’ll show him that it would be in his best interest to tell us exactly what we want to know,” Jaina interjected and Bo-Katan nodded. 

“Exactly,” she said, an evil smile playing on her lips. “If it’s possible, I’d like for you to stay inside his head no matter what, to ensure he’s telling us the truth. Can you do that?”

Jaina nodded. “Absolutely.” Ahsoka crossed her arms and didn’t look happy, but she didn’t object. 

Satisfied, Bo-Katan headed back into the room. Once again, Ahsoka caught Jaina’s arm before she could follow. 

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” she asked. Jaina could feel that her anger from earlier had now turned into worry.

“Yes,” Jaina assured her. “I used to do this for a living, remember?”

Ahsoka pursed her lips. “Okay. But if I sense that it’s getting out of hand, or something’s wrong, I’m pulling you out.”

“Okay,” Jaina replied, swallowing an urge to argue. Ahsoka released her arm and they joined Bo-Katan inside the room.

Jaina immediately noticed the change in the officer. Gone was the arrogance, and in its place, fear. He shrank back in his seat as Jaina and Bo-Katan approached him, taking seats opposite him. 

“Let’s try this again, shall we?” Bo-Katan said calmly. “And maybe this time, a little bit more cooperation from you, yes?”

The officer’s eyes darted between her and Jaina, finally settling on Jaina. She gave him a half-smile, then bowed her head and closed her eyes. Reaching through the Force, she gently touched the edge of his mind again, waiting for Bo-Katan to begin her questioning.

“Where are you holding our people? We know it’s here, on Mandalore. Tell me where.”

Jaina gave the man a moment to see if he would respond, and when he didn’t, she forced her way in once more. He cried out in pain, and she went searching for the memory from earlier. It didn’t take her long to find it.

“That pain your feeling?” she heard Bo-Katan say, “it will go away if you just tell me what I want to know.” 

Jaina increased the pressure on him and he cried out again. “You’re going to give us the information regardless,” Bo-Katan told him. “The only choice you have is how painful it’s going to be for you.”

He let loose with a string of curse words, and Jaina upped the pressure a little more. She knew he wouldn’t last much longer, as the memory had started making its way to the front of his mind. She was relieved; partly because they were finally going to get the information they needed, and also because her strength was rapidly starting to wane. Being ripped out of the man’s mind earlier, plus the lack of sleep, food, and stress from the events of the last day or so was finally starting to take its toll on her.

“Okay, okay, okay!” he yelled, “I’ll tell you everything! Whatever you want to know! Just make it stop!”

The memory was now at the front of his mind, so Jaina backed off, but still kept her focus on the memory. She heard him sigh as the pain eased.

“Where are you holding our people?” Bo-Katan asked again. This time, he hesitated for only a second before responding.

“They’re at my outpost. It’s located outside the capital. Not far. A half-hour maybe, to the north.”

Jaina nodded to indicate he was telling the truth, and Bo-Katan continued: “Tell me about this outpost.”

“It’s walled on all sides with only one main entrance. Full company of stormtroopers, along with armor. No TIEs.”

Jaina nodded again. “Good,” Bo-Katan said. “And where in the compound are you keeping my people?”

“There are three buildings. Your people are being held in the main one in the center of the base. It has three stories. The cells are located on the main floor, west side of the building.”

Jaina nodded once again. Everything he had told them so far was exactly what she was seeing. “Excellent,” Bo-Katan said. “And what about this, Inquisitor? Is she there as well?”

Jaina felt his mind recoil in fear as the image of her came into focus. “Yes,” he breathed.

“And why is she there? What does she want?”

“I—I’m not sure,” he stammered. “She’s after someone here. I don’t know who, and I don’t really care. She came to my outpost, commandeered my troops, attacked your people, and brought some back as prisoners. I swear to you, I had no idea what she was planning. She never shared that with me.” 

Jaina shook her head. Some of it was the truth, but he was lying about not knowing. She increased the pressure in his head again, warning him.

“Okay, okay!” He sighed. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you for a long time and I’ve been able to identify most of your chain of command. The Inquisitor came to me asking for information on two of them, so I gave it to her. I also kept her apprised of your group’s movements, and when we heard of your attack on the weapons depot and saw who was leading it, she took a team of my best troops out to intercept them.”

“But you still don’t know who she’s after,” Bo-Katan said. 

“No,” the man replied dejectedly. “I swear to you, I have no idea. I assumed it was the two she’d asked me about, but then she had me record and send that message to you.” Jaina nodded once more. 

“Thank you. You’ve been very helpful,” Bo-Katan said. “I appreciate your cooperation.” 

Jaina backed completely out of his mind and opened her eyes. The officer sat there, utterly defeated, his head in his hands. Bo-Katan rose from her chair and Jaina did the same, both turning around to leave the room. Jaina slowly walked back to Ahsoka, who was watching her intently, a concerned look etched on her face.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Bo-Katan said, stopping at the door and turning around. “How am I supposed to get in touch with the Inquisitor, to meet her terms for getting my people back?”

The officer looked up and thought for a moment. “The comlink they took off of me when I was captured. You can use that to directly contact her.”

Bo-Katan smiled. “Excellent.” She turned back to the door, nodding to the two warriors who were still in the room, as she exited. Jaina and Ahsoka were halfway out the door when a single blaster shot rang out, causing them both to jump. 

“Well, I think that went extremely well,” Bo-Katan mused as Jaina and Ahsoka joined her. “I just wish I would’ve known you could do that before we had started.”

Jaina shot Ahsoka a look that said “I told you so”, which Ahsoka promptly ignored. “So, what’s next?” Jaina eagerly asked. “We know where they’re being held, so now what?”

“Now, you need to get some rest,” Ahsoka said quickly before Bo-Katan had a chance to answer. “It’s been a very long day.” Jaina scowled at her. Sure, she was exhausted, but she could sleep later. There was still a lot more work to be done.

Bo-Katan studied Jaina for a moment before speaking. “Your master is right. It’s late and we all need some rest.” Jaina’s face fell, and Bo-Katan chuckled. “Don’t worry, we’ll begin planning our attack in the morning. For now, do as she says and go get some sleep.”

Jaina nodded and reluctantly followed Ahsoka outside. The compound was eerily quiet, and in the stillness and cool air of the night, the last bit of adrenaline that had been keeping her going finally wore off. The exhaustion she’d been keeping at bay for the last few hours broke free, and she stumbled. Ahsoka caught her before she hit the ground, and Jaina gave her a weak smile as she stood back up.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, and Ahsoka gave her a disapproving look. “I know, I know, I’m a terrible liar.” 

Ahsoka didn’t let go of her as they walked. She felt like she always did after a night of hard drinking and was supremely glad Ahsoka was with her. There was a very good chance she wouldn’t have made it back on her own. After what felt like an eternity, they made it back to Jaina’s quarters, and Ahsoka half-carried her as she stumbled in. 

Emry woke up as soon as they entered and quickly rushed to help Ahsoka. Jaina tried to say something to her, but her body was already shutting down, and her words were incoherent. 

“What’s wrong with her?” she heard Emry say. “Is she drunk?” She sounded far away, and Jaina tried to look at her, but couldn’t keep her head up or her eyes open any longer. 

“No,” Ahsoka replied, “just exhausted. She needs to sleep.” Even though she was barely awake, Jaina could hear the annoyance in her voice.

They led her over to the bed, and she was vaguely aware of someone helping her to get undressed. The last thing she heard was Emry’s soothing voice urging her to lie down. A sound startled her awake hours later, and she opened her eyes to see Sabine frozen in place, half bent over as she reached for whatever it was that she had dropped, a guilty look on her face. 

“Sorry!” she whispered loudly. She quickly grabbed the item and a few more things off her bed and hurried out the door. Jaina groaned, pulled the blanket over her head, and rolled over. She wasn’t ready to wake up yet. For a brief moment, she wondered where Emry was, then sleep overtook her once more.

Fortunately, no one else bothered her again, and she took her time waking up. She had no idea how long she’d slept but figured if she’d been needed, Ahsoka would’ve come and got her. She was lying there with her eyes closed, feeling the ebb and flow of the emotions around her when she sensed Emry approaching. 

She kept her eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep, and waited for Emry to enter. A minute later she did, and after a moment, she felt her walk up beside the bed. Emry hesitated, then turned to go, and Jaina quickly reached out and grabbed her arm. Emry let out a startled gasp and jumped back, cursing under her breath. Her eyes narrowed when she saw that Jaina was fully awake and now laughing at her.

“Not funny,” she said grumpily. “You knew I was coming, didn’t you?” 

Grinning, she slowly nodded, and Emry huffed and rolled her eyes. Jaina opened her arms and gave Emry the poutiest look she could, knowing she wouldn’t stay mad at her for long. And she was right. A small smile formed on Emry’s lips, and she gave in. As soon as she got close enough, Jaina grabbed her arms and pulled her down onto the bed. They shared a long kiss before Emry sat back up.

“You seem to be feeling much better,” she said, giving Jaina an amused look.

“I am,” Jaina replied. “Apparently, I was a lot more tired than I realized.” 

“You’re not invincible, you know,” Emry chided. “I couldn’t tell if Ahsoka was mad at you or worried about you when she brought you in here last night. Or both.”

“Probably both,” Jaina mused. “I may or may not have given her a reason to be mad at me earlier in the evening.”

Emry let out an exasperated sigh. “Why does that not surprise me?” 

Jaina smiled sheepishly. “Because you know I’m stubborn and hard-headed? And sometimes I'm not very good at following directions?”

“Sometimes?” Emry said, raising an eyebrow. Jaina shrugged and gave her another grin. “So, what did you do to make her mad?”

“Well…um…remember that thing I told you I could do?” Jaina said slowly. “The one Ahsoka told me never to do again?” 

Emry nodded, and Jaina gave her a guilty look. “Jaina!” Emry exclaimed, her eyes going wide. Her tone was a mix of shock and disappointment and Jaina flinched. “Why would you—” Emry stopped and shook her head. “No wonder she was mad at you.”

“I had to!” Jaina said defensively. “It was the only way we were going to get any information from him.” Emry crossed her arms and shook her head again, clearly displeased. 

“Well, it apparently worked,” Emry said. “Sabine and I were tasked earlier this morning to help conduct recon on an outpost to the north of here. I take it that’s where your parents are?”

Jaina nodded as she smiled to herself. So, Bo-Katan had started planning the attack, just like she’d said she would. A thought crossed her mind— “Wait, so you’ve been out there already?”

“Yep,” Emry said, “and we’re actually supposed to be going back out there soon, to gather more information.” She held up a hand, stopping the questions before Jaina could even get them out. “And before you even ask, you’ll get a full brief from Ahsoka later, once you get up.”

Jaina frowned but knew better than to argue. If Ahsoka wanted to be the one to brief her, then she’d let her. She slowly realized Emry was gazing at her, an almost mischievous look on her face. “What…?” Jaina asked, almost afraid of what the answer was going to be.

“Oh, nothing,” Emry said playfully. “Just thinking about that thing you’re not supposed to do.”

“What about it?” Jaina asked slowly, narrowing her eyes. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to like where Emry was going with this.

“Oh, you know,” she replied, her tone still playful. “Just that it’s a shame you can’t read my mind right now.” This time, there was no mistaking the mischievousness in the grin she flashed Jaina. It didn’t take Jaina long to catch on.

“In this case, I don’t need to,” she replied, smirking. Emry chuckled and leaned over, softly kissing her. After a moment, her lips moved over to Jaina's ear, and then slowly down her neck.

“I thought you said you had to leave soon,” Jaina murmured, as Emry’s lips slowly moved lower and lower. She shivered as Emry’s fingertips started tracing a path up and down her stomach. 

“Soon, but not yet,” she replied, in between kisses. “I have some time.” She suddenly stopped and stood up, and Jaina immediately groaned before she realized what she was doing. Emry hurriedly undid her gun belt, letting it fall to the floor, then kicked her boots off next to it. She grinned. “There. That’ll save us some time.” 

“You should’ve just taken all of it off,” Jaina said, wagging her eyebrows at her. Emry laughed and crawled under the blanket with her. 

“I figured you’d be more than happy to help with that part,” she replied and hungrily kissed Jaina again. 

“You’re right,” Jaina said, and she quickly stripped her shirt off and threw it on the floor. She rolled Emry over onto her back, taking her time as she kissed down Emry’s neck, to her chest, then her stomach, her hands gradually working Emry’s trousers off. Soon, they too were on the floor. She slowly made her way back up to Emry’s lips, feeling Emry’s body tremble as her fingertips traced a teasing path down her stomach. 

She lingered for a moment and pulled her head back to look at Emry. There was an intense need in her eyes, and Jaina hesitated for only a second longer. Emry’s back arched and she let out a soft moan before grabbing Jaina’s head and kissing her, hard. She moved with the rhythm of Emry’s body, completely losing herself in the emotions that were rolling off of her.

It didn’t take long before Emry grabbed her tightly, her breathing ragged in Jaina’s ear. Her back arched again, and she gasped. Jaina felt her body go rigid and twitch; then her muscles relaxed, and she fell back onto the bed. Jaina laid on top of her, kissing her softly. Emry’s hips were still moving from the aftereffects, and it was rapidly causing Jaina to lose what little of the self-control she had left. She pulled herself out from between Emry’s legs and straddled her waist, kissing her fervently.

Emry ran her hands down Jaina’s back and around to her stomach, slowly teasing their way down, testing her patience. She held her breath as Emry hovered for a moment, then it was her turn to let out a low moan. She buried her face in Emry’s neck as waves of pleasure rocked her. Just as Jaina had done with her, Emry moved in rhythm with her body, slowly at first and then gradually faster.

The waves suddenly intensified, and Jaina frantically moved her lips to Emry’s, kissing her, hard. With one last intense wave, Jaina’s body tensed and she let out a small cry. She twitched as the waves slowly subsided and then relaxed, collapsing on top of Emry and breathing hard. Emry gently stroked her back as she laid there, both of them completely spent. 

After a long moment, she lazily lifted her head and Emry gave her a blissful smile. She returned it and leaned up to kiss her. 

“Told you I had some time,” Emry said softly. 

“Mm-hmm,” Jaina mumbled, kissing her again. She was so focused on Emry that she didn’t sense Ahsoka approaching until it was almost too late. She froze and was in the process of turning her head when the door opened, and her master walked in.

Jaina wasn’t entirely sure what it looked like when a Togruta blushed, as she had never actually seen Ahsoka embarrassed before, but now she knew. Ahsoka’s head was buried in a datapad as she walked in, but when she looked up and realized what she was seeing, her face turned a deep shade of orange. Jaina heard Emry quietly gasp, and she gave her master a weak smile.

“Uh…hi,” she said, mentally breathing a sigh of relief as she realized, by some sort of miracle, the blanket was still covering her and Emry. 

To her credit, Ahsoka quickly recovered and looked as though she was trying her hardest not to laugh. Jaina could sense her amusement, and it only added to her own. She was also trying desperately not to laugh if only to save Emry from further embarrassment. She didn’t have to see Emry’s face to know it was a deep shade of red.

“Glad to see you’re finally awake,” Ahsoka said, the amusement evident in her tone. “Come and see me whenever you’re ready. I’ll be next door.”

“Okay,” Jaina replied, and Ahsoka turned to go. She paused at the door. 

“Oh, and Emry?” she said over her shoulder. “Sabine is looking for you. They’re ready to head out again.” 

“Okay,” Emry said, her voice slightly higher pitched than normal. “Thank you.” Ahsoka nodded once, then left them alone again.

As soon as she was gone, Emry hit Jaina in the arm. “I thought you said you were able to sense when she was coming!” The laughter Jaina had been holding in came tumbling out and Emry hit her again, which only caused her to laugh harder. 

“I’m sorry!” Jaina said. “I usually can!” She dissolved into laughter again, and Emry crossed her arms and glared at her. “Oh, come on, you don’t find this at least a little bit funny?” 

“No,” Emry replied indignantly, “I don’t.” 

“Well, I’m blaming it on you then,” Jaina said in a teasing tone. Emry’s eyebrows shot up. “If I hadn’t been so distracted by you, I would’ve sensed her coming.” Emry rolled her eyes and groaned.

“You’re impossible,” she said, but Jaina could already feel her embarrassment fading. She grinned at Emry.

“Look at it this way,” she said, uncrossing Emry’s arms and intertwining their fingers together. “At least she didn’t walk in two minutes earlier. That would not have been funny.”

“Fair point,” Emry said, her lips finally breaking into a small smile. Jaina pinned her arms down on the bed and leaned in, waiting; Emry met her halfway and kissed her, her frustration now completely gone. Not in the mood to leave the bed just yet, Jaina quickly increased the intensity of the kiss and trailed one of her hands down Emry’s stomach.

“Nope,” Emry said, grabbing her hand. “I have to go and so do you.” 

Jaina sighed heavily, knowing she was right. “Fine.” She gave Emry one last kiss and sat up, looking around to see where her clothes and lightsaber were. Finding them, she finally got out of bed, and they both quickly got dressed.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Emry said, as Jaina finished tying her boots. “I left food for you over there, in case you were hungry when you woke up.”

Jaina looked over to the small kitchen area where she was pointing and noticed two ration packs and a piece of jogan fruit sitting on the counter. Suddenly starving and too lazy to walk over to them, she stretched her hand out and floated them to her. Emry gave her an amused look as she watched. 

“Thanks,” Jaina said, quickly taking a bite of the fruit. She tucked the ration packs under her arm and stood up, placing her lightsaber on its hook on her belt. It was time to go see what Ahsoka wanted and to find out what the plan was to get her parents back.

“Shall we?” Emry said, turning to go. Jaina caught her arm and pulled her back to her.

“You’re not invincible either,” she said quietly, her tone serious. “Please be careful.”

“I will. I promise.” She kissed Jaina and together they walked outside. Emry took off at a jog toward the starfighters, and Jaina walked over to the building next to theirs. She purposefully knocked on the door, just to make a point. 

Ahsoka walked out a moment later, smirking and shaking her head. “Very funny.” Jaina just smiled at her, too busy chewing on the jogan fruit to reply. “I see you got the food Emry brought you?” Jaina took another bite and nodded. “Excellent. Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” Jaina asked, in between bites.

“To see your cousin,” Ahsoka replied. “She wants to bring you up to speed on what we’ve learned since last night.”

“Anything interesting?” Jaina asked.

“I’ll let her fill you in on the details, but…” Ahsoka’s voice faded into the background as Jaina suddenly noticed one of the Mandalorian starfighters rising from the landing area. She watched as it rose higher, then sped off into the distance, feeling Emry’s presence fade with it. She knew Emry could handle herself, but that didn’t stop her from worrying. 

“Jaina.” Ahsoka’s firm voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back.

“Huh?” she said, still distracted. She slowly realized Ahsoka was looking at her in a way that suggested she was expecting an answer to a question she’d asked, but Jaina hadn’t heard. “Oh…um…”

“You didn’t hear a word of what I just said, did you?” Ahsoka put her hands on her hips, and Jaina mentally cringed.

“No, sorry,” she said apologetically, giving Ahsoka a guilty look. “It won’t happen—"

“It’s okay. I completely understand.” Ahsoka interjected, a sympathetic look on her face.

“—again. Wait, what?” Jaina said, finally hearing what Ahsoka said. She couldn’t hide her slight shock. “You do?”

“Of course, I do,” Ahsoka said, chuckling. “I’m not a droid. I have feelings and emotions just like everyone else.”

“I mean, I know that but I guess I just never expected—” she stopped and paused for a moment. “I guess because you’re so good at controlling them, I never realized that you’d ever felt the same way I do about someone else.”

“Maybe not to the extent of what you have with Emry, but yes, there have been others, in the past, that I’ve had feelings for.” Jaina sensed a flicker of sadness pass through her, and then it was gone.

“What happened to them? Did you ever tell them how you felt? Did they ever know?” Ahsoka wasn’t candid with her very often, and she was intensely curious about this little glimpse into her master’s past.

Ahsoka snorted. “I didn’t exactly grow up with the best role models to show me how to deal with those kinds of emotions and feelings. Or any kind of emotions really. The Jedi didn’t believe in allowing your emotions to control you.”

“But, feelings like that are completely natural. Everyone gets them. You can’t tell me the Jedi were any different.” Jaina’s mind refused to wrap itself around the idea that the Jedi just didn’t allow themselves to feel anything.

“Oh, you’re absolutely right. They weren’t any different.” She sighed. “The Jedi didn’t believe in any form of attachment. Especially romantic attachment. That was forbidden and could get you expelled from the Order if they found out.”

Jaina chewed on that for a minute, then shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. You can’t help how you feel about someone.” She couldn’t imagine being told she couldn’t act on her feelings for Emry. “I’m glad I’m not a Jedi then.” 

Ahsoka chuckled. “My master would’ve agreed with you. He felt the same way you do about that particular rule.”

Jaina sensed a deep sadness coming from her, but she didn’t provide any more details, and Jaina wasn’t about to ask. After a moment, Ahsoka shook her head and gave her apprentice a pointed look.

“He also had a tendency to not listen to or follow the instructions of his master.” She raised an eyebrow and Jaina guiltily looked away. She had been waiting for the hammer to fall, and it looked like it was going to be now. She braced herself for the stern lecture she knew was coming.

She heard Ahsoka sigh and looked back up at her, seeing a ghost of a smile on her face. “It was a tendency he managed to pass on to his own apprentice, who has apparently passed it on to you.”

Jaina gave her a small smile. “I guess I’m just carrying on the tradition.” Her tone immediately turned solemn: “I’m really, really sorry about last night. I know I screwed up, and even though it turned out okay in the end, I shouldn’t have done it.”

“I understand why you disobeyed me,” Ahsoka said, “but that doesn’t mean I agree with it though. There are going to be times when I tell you not to do something, and you need to listen to me, whether you agree with it or not. You have to trust that I have a good reason for it.” Jaina nodded sincerely. “And,” she added, “if you ever feel like you need to know the reason…just ask. Okay?”

Jaina looked up at her and realized she meant it. “Okay. I will. Thank you,” she bowed her head, “Master.” Ahsoka inclined her head slightly in return. 

“Now,” she said, gesturing for them to keep walking, “let’s not keep your cousin waiting any longer.” 

They walked in silence towards the command center, Jaina turning the conversation they’d just had over in her head. Ahsoka very rarely talked about her Jedi past, and she seldom mentioned her master. Jaina assumed he’d died in the purge at the end of the Clone War, and she could always sense a hint of guilt along with the sadness that came the rare times Ahsoka did mention him. 

“Do you think he’d be proud?” Jaina quietly asked as they approached the command center. “Your master, I mean. If he could see you now, do you think he’d be proud of you?”

Ahsoka didn’t answer for a long moment, and Jaina started to think she maybe shouldn’t have asked. They stopped outside the door and Ahsoka turned to look at her. 

“Yes,” she said firmly, then paused. “At least, I’d like to hope he would be.”

Jaina nodded and gave her a small smile. “I think he would be too.” 

Ahsoka smiled back at her, and, putting her arm around Jaina’s shoulders, they entered the command center together. There were still so many unknowns, but there was one thing Jaina knew with absolute certainty: no matter what happened, as long as she had her master by her side, there would be nothing she wouldn’t be able to do.


	19. The Exchange

“Again,” Ahsoka told her. Jaina grimaced as she got back to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she brought her lightsaber back up to its ready position, then lunged at her master. She was nearly there, only two moves away from completing the complicated series of parries and strikes Ahsoka was trying to teach her when once again, her feet slipped on the loose dirt that covered the surface of Mandalore. 

For a split second she lost her balance, then her feet were swept out from under her, and she was staring up at the tip of a white lightsaber blade. She frowned, frustrated that she’d been so close, and grabbed Ahsoka’s arm as she helped her up.

“You’ve almost got it,” Ahsoka said reassuringly. “I know it’s not easy, but you’re close. Again.” 

“I would’ve had it that time,” Jaina grumbled as she brought her lightsaber back up, “if I hadn’t slipped again.”

“You can’t control the elements, so focus on what you can control,” Ahsoka said. “You’re letting your frustration in again, and not allowing the Force to flow freely. You have to clear your mind of everything and focus. Use your instincts, let the Force guide your actions. When you do that, it won’t matter if it’s sand, mud, snow, rain, freezing cold, or burning hot.”

Jaina nodded and took another deep breath, quickly clearing out all the frustration and doubts that had been gathering in her mind. She lunged at Ahsoka once more, fluidly moving through the now-familiar set of movements. Something in the back of her mind warned her she was about to slip again, and she quickly adjusted, finishing off the last two moves in rapid succession. 

She beamed at Ahsoka as she straightened back up. “See?” Ahsoka said, grinning back. “I told you, you could do it. Now, let’s move on to something else.” 

She watched as Ahsoka demonstrated another set of equally, if not harder, movements, then it was her turn. Ahsoka walked her through them step-by-step, slow at first, and then gradually faster as the moves became more familiar. As soon as she felt comfortable enough, Ahsoka had her put them into practice, the two of them dueling until she could successfully complete them in order. And then the whole cycle started over again.

Jaina was grateful for the distraction that these training sessions had provided over the last two days. If she wasn’t out training with Ahsoka, she was in the command center, running through scenarios and options with Bo-Katan, Ahsoka, and Bo-Katan’s second in command, Countess Wren. Those meetings always left her feeling frustrated and disheartened, as no one could agree on what the best course of action was. 

The meeting this morning had been no different. After finally settling on a tentative plan, Ahsoka had taken her out to their makeshift training area behind the walls of the compound. They’d been there ever since, and now in the fading light of the late afternoon, she realized they had a bit of an audience. That in itself wasn’t abnormal; most of the Mandalorians here had never even heard of a lightsaber, let alone seen one in action, and right from the start their training sessions had always generated some interest.

Mostly, it had been from some of the family members Bo-Katan had introduced her to. She’d met numerous relatives, both younger and older than her, all of them cautiously curious about the “Jedi” family member they didn’t know they had. She’d tried explaining to them how she wasn’t actually a Jedi, but quickly realized, to them, it was a moot point. More than anything, Jaina was just happy that they seemed to accept her as one of their own.

The difference today was that Bo-Katan had come out to watch as well. Jaina cast a sideways glance at her and immediately noticed something was wrong. She looked at Ahsoka, who had stopped what she was doing and was now gazing at her cousin, a concerned look on her face. 

“I think that’s enough for today,” Ahsoka said, deactivating her sabers. Jaina did the same, and together they walked over to Bo-Katan. 

“It’s time,” Bo-Katan said, and something in her voice sent chills through her body. Her eyes went wide as her brain slowly registered the meaning behind the words.

“But we haven’t even finalized a plan yet—” Jaina started to protest, and Bo-Katan held up a hand, instantly silencing her. Ahsoka shot Jaina a look, then crossed her arms and waited on Bo-Katan to explain. 

“We’ve just received new intel that indicates they are going to be executed in the morning. We need to make contact now, to ensure that doesn’t happen.” Jaina blankly stared at her. This couldn’t be happening, not yet. She wasn’t ready, she needed more time. And like she’d just said, they didn’t even have a solid plan yet. 

“We’re going to have to go with the plan we agreed on this morning,” Bo-Katan continued, reading her mind. She gave Jaina an understanding look, but when she spoke, her voice was firm. “I would’ve liked more time to plan as well. But we don’t have any more time. We have to act now.”

Ahsoka laid a hand on her shoulder, and Jaina worriedly looked up at her. “You’re ready,” she said. Jaina searched her eyes for any sign of doubt but saw none. She nodded slightly. If her master truly believed she was ready, then she was.

“Okay.” Bo-Katan gave a short nod, and Jaina and Ahsoka silently followed her back to the command center. A million thoughts flew through her mind as they walked, most of them centered on if they—if she—could pull this off. She knew a lot of it was going to depend on how convincing they could be in this first part. 

“Clear the room,” Bo-Katan ordered when they entered. Jaina watched as everyone but the Countess stopped what they were doing and hurriedly left. Once it was empty, Bo-Katan walked over to the holo-table and keyed it on. Jaina, Ahsoka, and the Countess stood off to the side, completely out of view, and Jaina handed Ahsoka her lightsaber. 

“Put these on,” the Countess told her, handing her a set of binders. Jaina raised an eyebrow at her. This hadn’t been part of the plan. “It’ll make it look more convincing,” she explained, and Jaina nodded, allowing the Countess to slip the binders over her wrists and lock them into place.

A moment later, an image of the Inquisitor appeared over the table. “Lady Bo-Katan Kryze,” she said, smirking. “I was beginning to wonder when I’d hear from you.” 

“It took a little longer than I would’ve liked to find what you were asking for,” Bo-Katan replied evenly, crossing her arms.

“So, you have what I want?” the Inquisitor asked. She, too, crossed her arms and gave her a skeptical look.

“I do,” Bo-Katan said, offering no more information. 

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes. “Prove it.” Bo-Katan shook her head, feigning amusement.

“That’s not how this works,” she replied. “First, you have to show me that my people are still alive. Forgive me, but I’m not going to just take your word on it.” 

Jaina held her breath as she watched the Inquisitor think it over. A moment later, she gave a slight nod, then turned and barked an order at someone out of view. She turned back to Bo-Katan, and Jaina could sense her annoyance even through the holo. 

“One moment,” she said, and then the holo froze as she paused it. Jaina cast a nervous look at Ahsoka, who gave her a reassuring nod. She looked back at the paused holo, her heart racing. It felt like an eternity had passed before the holo finally un-froze, and the one warrior she didn’t know was drug into view. 

Bo-Katan showed no reaction as she nodded to him. Jaina watched him give her a slight nod in return and then he was drug out of view again. “And the other two?” Bo-Katan asked. 

The Inquisitor’s smile was full of malice as she nodded to someone they couldn’t see. A second later, her mother and father were roughly shoved into view. The angry defiance Jaina had seen in them in the message was gone. Now there was only fear. 

“Bo, please, don't do this,” her mother pleaded. Jaina’s heart ached, wishing she could rush to them, or at the very least, explain that this was all an act. Playing her part, Bo-Katan again showed no reaction, and her parents were hauled out of view once more. The Inquisitor held up a hand to someone they couldn’t see, then turned back to Bo-Katan.

“Your turn,” she said. Bo-Katan nodded and looked over to where Jaina and the others were standing. The Countess grabbed her arm and drug her over next to her cousin. She struggled against her grip, which was surprisingly strong, and scowled at Bo-Katan before she turned and faced the Inquisitor. 

The Inquisitor must have kept her parents in view of the holo because as soon as she turned, she heard her mother cry out. It took every ounce of control she’d learned from Ahsoka to not react to the sound. She focused on the Inquisitor, using the building anger to her advantage. For the first time since that day with Sabine, she let the anger flow in, allowing it to feed her reaction.

The Inquisitor smiled evilly as she looked between her and her parents. “Ah yes,” she said, “now I can see the resemblance.” She looked at Bo-Katan. “Mind telling me how, exactly, you found her?”

“Does it really matter?” Bo-Katan replied, shrugging.

The Inquisitor chuckled. “No, I guess it doesn’t.” She gave her another skeptical look. “I must admit, I’m a little surprised at how easily you’re willing to just hand her over, considering she is one of you.”

Bo-Katan’s eyes narrowed and when she spoke, her voice was like ice. “She is not one of us.” 

The words cut through the haze of anger, and even though, deep down, Jaina knew she didn’t mean it, she wasn’t able to control her reaction. She lunged at her cousin and almost had her hands around her throat before the Countess grabbed her and threw her away from Bo-Katan. Jaina started after her again, but the Countess stepped in front of her, both of her blasters drawn and pointed at her head. She could hear the Inquisitor laughing quietly, as she stared, seething, at the blasters.

She was just about to take her chances with the Countess when Ahsoka grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked her back. She held her, refusing to let go, forcing her to calm down. Jaina could hear the Inquisitor and Bo-Katan talking, but all she could focus on was trying to regain control. She leaned into Ahsoka’s calm presence, and by the time her cousin had finished talking and shut the holo off, the anger was gone. Bo-Katan walked over to them, her face unreadable.

“I hope that was convincing enough,” she said. 

“I think it will be,” the Countess replied. “So, tomorrow then?”

Bo-Katan nodded. “Mid-day. That’s when we’re supposed to hand her over. The exchange will be done simultaneously, in the courtyard of the outpost.” 

“And the rest of the plan?” the Countess asked. “That stays the same?” 

Bo-Katan nodded again, a grim smile on her face. “With any luck, by the end of the day, the outpost will be nothing more than smoking rubble, and every Imperial there will be dead.”

“Send them a message,” the Countess said, an equally grim smile on her face.

“Exactly,” Bo-Katan replied. “Gather the others. I want to brief everyone on what’s going on.”

The Countess inclined her head and left the room. Bo-Katan turned to Jaina, an apologetic look on her face. “I’m sorry for what I said. You know I didn’t mean it. But I am glad that it provoked such a reaction from you. That was perfect.”

“Just trying to help,” Jaina said. She looked at both her and Ahsoka and held up her still-bound hands. “Mind taking these off of me now?”

Ahsoka waved her hand over the binders and they clicked and fell open. Jaina looked from the binders to Ahsoka, and back again, her mouth gaping open. “Why have you not taught me how to do that yet?”

Ahsoka chuckled. “I haven’t needed to.” The door opened and some of the warriors Bo-Katan had summoned started to file in. “Come on,” she said, motioning for them to leave. “I’ll teach you right now. You need to know how to do it anyway, for tomorrow.” 

They left the command center and Ahsoka explained the basic mechanics to her as they walked back to Jaina’s quarters. Once inside, Ahsoka had her try over and over again until she could get them to open on her own. After that, she left her with instructions to keep practicing until she could get them off in under ten seconds. Jaina sighed as she left, knowing she was in for a long night. 

Emry walked in not long after, right as she was in the middle of an attempt. “Hey,” she said, quickly crossing the room and kissing Jaina.

“Hey,” Jaina sullenly replied. She looked down at the binders, which were still locked around her wrists. She was happy to see Emry but frustrated that she’d broken her concentration. More than anything, she wanted to spend the rest of the night focusing on her, but until she accomplished what Ahsoka had asked, she knew she couldn’t.

“What, exactly, are you doing with those?” Emry asked, eyeing the binders.

“I have to learn how to get them off in under ten seconds,” she replied. “You know…for tomorrow.” She assumed Emry had already been briefed about what was happening, and she was correct. Emry slowly nodded.

“I just came from the briefing, actually. I’ll be helping with surveillance in the morning, then providing aerial and evac support if it’s needed during.” Jaina nodded. Sometimes she wished she could go back to the time when she had no idea what Emry did, and lived in blissful ignorance of the danger she was constantly in. 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Emry asked. 

Jaina sighed heavily. “I mean, I would love for you to help, but I don’t see how you could.”

Emry thought for a moment, and a smile slowly began to spread across her face. “I have an idea.” She walked over and locked the door.

“What about Sabine?” Jaina asked her. She didn’t think Sabine would take being locked out of her own space very well. 

“She was gracious enough to allow us to have the night to ourselves,” Emry said. “She said she was going to stay with her family, but I know she’s lying.” Jaina cocked her head, confused, and Emry chuckled. “You’ve been too busy with everything else to notice, but she’s been spending an awful lot of time with one of the guys from Clan Eldar.”

“Is that so,” Jaina said, smirking. Sabine was never going to hear the end of that from her now. She raised an eyebrow at Emry. “So, what’s this idea you have to help me?”

“It’s simple,” Emry said, crossing back over to her. “We’ll set a timer, starting at, let’s say, a minute and a half. You’ll have that amount of time to get the binders off. If you succeed before the time is up, then—” she paused dramatically “—I’ll remove a piece of clothing.”

Jaina grinned. “I like this idea already.” Emry grinned back, then held up a finger. 

“But,” she said, “there’s a catch.” Jaina frowned and Emry laughed. “If you succeed before the time is up, not only will I take a piece of clothing off, but we’re then going to subtract ten seconds from the timer and that’s the amount of time you’ll now have to do it in.” Jaina nodded. That didn’t sound so bad.

“Also,” Emry continued, a mischievous grin on her face, “if you fail, then I’ll put a piece of clothing back on.”

“Well, that’s just not fair,” Jaina grumbled.

“That’s the rules,” Emry said, shrugging. She grinned at Jaina again. “So, what do you think?”

“Set the timer,” Jaina immediately replied, and Emry laughed again. She found it extremely hard to concentrate at first, knowing what was at stake, and after failing the first few times, she finally settled down. Without even knowing it, Emry was also teaching her another lesson, one Ahsoka had been trying to teach her for months now: how to fully focus under pressure.

Once she settled down and found her focus, it took her less than ten minutes to get the timer down to ten seconds, and Emry down to one final piece of clothing. She smirked at her as Emry reset the timer. “Ready when you are.” Emry rolled her eyes and pushed the start button. 

Jaina quickly shut everything out and reached through the Force, finding the locking mechanism inside the binders within seconds. The binders clicked and popped open, the timer going off three seconds later.

Opening her eyes, she saw that Emry was now standing directly in front of her. She looked up, her smug grin instantly dissolving when she saw the look on Emry’s face. Emry gently took the binders off her wrists and pulled her to her feet. They gazed at each other, neither one wanting to speak aloud what they were thinking.

Jaina studied her, noting how green her eyes looked today, and how the natural highlights in her brown hair caught the soft light of the room. She looked beautiful, and at that moment, she knew. Feeling a sudden urge to tell her right then and there, she opened her mouth, but Emry quickly shook her head, stopping her.

“Tell me tomorrow, once this is all over,” she said quietly. Jaina nodded and softly kissed her. After a moment, Emry took her hands and led her to the bed. They took their time, like they had that first night, both wanting to savor every second they had together. After they were finished, Jaina held her until they finally fell asleep.

She awoke the next morning to Emry gently kissing her forehead. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“It’s okay,” Jaina sleepily replied. “I’m glad you did.” She noticed Emry was fully dressed and sighed. “Are you heading out?”

Emry nodded. “We’re going to start surveillance early, to make sure there are no surprises for you once you get there.” 

“Please be careful.” Emry nodded again, and Jaina reached for her. The kiss was long and intense, and it was Emry who finally pulled away. “Good luck,” Jaina told her, as she stood up.

“You too,” Emry said, giving her a wan smile. She could try and hide it all she wanted, but Jaina could feel the worry and anxiousness flowing off her. Emry leaned in for one last kiss and then turned to go. 

“Emry,” Jaina said before she could leave. She turned around and Jaina smiled at her. “May the Force be with you.” This time, Emry gave her a genuine smile, then headed out the door. 

She sighed again, and, knowing there was no way she was going back to sleep, got up, and got dressed. After a quick breakfast, she sat on the floor and settled into meditation. A few hours later, Ahsoka came and got her, and it was time to go. The base itself was a hive of activity, as everyone prepared for the upcoming fight. They walked in silence to one of the starfighters, where Bo-Katan and Countess Wren were waiting. 

“Are you ready?” Bo-Katan asked her, once they got to the foot of the ramp. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied. “Let’s go get them back.” 

They boarded, and shortly afterward the fighter rose into the air and they were on their way. They had some time, as the outpost was almost two hours away. “Has anything changed?” she asked Bo-Katan.

She shook her head. “No. As of this morning, it looks like it’s business as usual there, which works to our advantage. They should have absolutely no idea what’s coming.”

“Now, remember,” Ahsoka said, turning to face them both, “she’ll want to keep you alive, so odds are she’ll take you inside the main building to interrogate you. Do you have your lightsaber?”

Jaina patted her jacket, where her lightsaber was hidden in a pocket on the inside. Unless they searched her, which Ahsoka said was highly unlikely since she was otherwise unarmed, they would never see it.

“Good,” Ahsoka said. “Engage her only if necessary. Remember, the goal is to keep her there, in the building, so when it comes down, she goes with it.” Jaina nodded. That was going to be the tricky part. “I’ll be keeping an eye on things in case she somehow makes it out. One way or another, she’s not leaving that outpost alive.”

The cool determination in her voice sent a shiver up Jaina’s back. Her master very rarely talked like that. Then again, Jaina knew she’d faced and defeated more than one of these Inquisitors before and knew what needed to be done. They fell silent as the time dragged on, but eventually, she heard the pilot call out that they were getting ready to land. Her heart started racing as Ahsoka put the binders on her and locked them into place. 

“You can do this,” her master said. “Remember your training. Remember what I’ve taught you. Stay calm, stay focused. Don’t let your anger control you. Stay in the moment.” Jaina swallowed hard and nodded. Ahsoka seemed to be just as nervous as she was, which did little to calm her.

She felt the ship settle onto the ground, and Ahsoka quickly disappeared into the recesses, needing to stay hidden from sight. Bo-Katan and the Countess took up positions on either side of her, grasping her arms as they waited for the ramp to be lowered. She squinted against the glare of the sun as they emerged from the ship, then looked around to get her bearings.

The outpost was directly ahead; as they got closer to the entrance, she saw the entire courtyard was lined with troops, and every bit of armor they had was manned and ready. She thought it was a bit excessive, given that this was supposed to be a simple prisoner exchange, but maybe the Inquisitor just wanted a large show of force, in case they were tempted to try anything. Either way, it was certainly going to make the upcoming battle a lot more interesting.

They walked into the courtyard, and the doors to the main building straight ahead of them opened up. Jaina inhaled sharply as she saw the Inquisitor walk out with her parents and the other prisoner. Bo-Katan gave her arm a slight squeeze of reassurance, and she steadied herself. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she took a deep breath and cleared her mind. The familiar calm settled in, and when she opened them back up, she was ready.

As the two groups approached each other, Jaina noted that there was a fair amount of anger coming from her mother, which was in sharp contrast to the sadness she could feel from her father. Her heart ached, but she regarded them coolly, determined not to show any emotion. There would be time for that later. 

“I’ll never forgive you for this,” her mother spat out, glaring at Bo-Katan. She then turned her attention to Jaina, but before she could get any words out, they were shoved forward by the stormtroopers guarding them. Bo-Katan released her arm and grabbed her mother’s, pulling her away from Jaina. The Countess shoved Jaina forward, into the troopers who were waiting in front of the Inquisitor. 

“Jaina!” She turned around to see that her mother had broken free from Bo-Katan’s grasp. She threw her arms around her daughter, trying desperately to hold onto her as Bo-Katan and her father tried to pull her away. 

“Trust me,” she whispered in Mando’a, into her mother’s ear. “Trust Bo.” They finally pulled her mother off of her, and she saw her eyes widen in shock and understanding. 

“Isn’t that sweet?” the Inquisitor said mockingly. She nodded to the stormtroopers. “Take her inside.” Two troopers grabbed her arms and began walking her towards the main building. Jaina smiled to herself. Ahsoka had been right. Because she’d appeared to be unarmed, they hadn’t even bothered searching her. 

Jaina could sense the Inquisitor hesitate for a moment, then turn and follow. She kept her focus on her, idly wondering how long it would be before her cousin launched the attack. Too soon, and they wouldn’t catch the Imperials off-guard. Too late, and they ran the risk that instead of interrogating her right there, the Inquisitor would simply leave with her. 

Of course, the attack was only a distraction, designed to allow Clan Wren to sneak all the explosives they could into every corner of the base. Once they were done, they would send a signal out, and every Mandalorian there would have around a minute to clear the area before the entire base was reduced to rubble. It was Jaina’s job to keep the Inquisitor occupied until then. She just hoped she could find a way out before the building exploded.

“You were not an easy one to find, traitor,” the Inquisitor said as they entered the lift on the main floor of the building. “I’m going to thoroughly enjoy interrogating you.” 

Jaina said nothing and stared straight ahead. The Inquisitor barked out a laugh. “Ironic isn’t it? When I last saw you, you were the one asking the questions. Tell me, traitor, how well do you think you’ll fare under the same conditions?”

Jaina again said nothing and was shoved out of the lift as it opened onto the top floor. She still didn’t hear anything from outside and was beginning to worry. She didn’t want to engage the Inquisitor too soon, but she also wasn’t in the mood to find out what she had planned for her interrogation. 

The Inquisitor led them down the corridor and she could see that it branched off in only one direction at the end. It was the typical design of nearly every Imperial building she’d been in, and she mentally breathed a sigh of relief. At least there would be no surprises when she needed to make a quick exit. They were about halfway down the hall when the building violently shook. She allowed herself a small smile as she listened to the chaos that was erupting outside.

The troopers stopped walking and the Inquisitor turned around, her eyes narrowing as she peered at Jaina. Jaina gave her an innocent look and shrugged, which only seemed to agitate her further. 

“Find out what’s going on,” she told the two troopers. “I can take her from here.”

“Yes ma’am,” they replied in unison, then turned on their heels and ran off in the direction they’d just come from. The Inquisitor grabbed Jaina’s arm and threw her in front of her, giving her a shove in the back. “Walk.”

Jaina did as she was told, waiting until she could no longer feel the presence of the two troopers. She then turned her focus to the binders and reached through the Force, sending a silent thank you to Emry as the binders clicked and popped open. She let them fall to her feet and dove as far as she could forward, her hand reaching for her lightsaber. 

“What the—” she heard the Inquisitor say as she hit the ground and rolled back up to her feet. She faced the Inquisitor, who was now looking at her curiously. Jaina watched as an evil smile crept across her face when her eyes settled on the lightsaber in her hand. 

“What a pleasant surprise.” She unhooked her saber from her belt and ignited it. “Let’s find out if you know how to use it.” 

Jaina ignited hers and began slowly backing up as the Inquisitor advanced on her. She just needed to keep her occupied a little while longer. Waves of anger and hate and contempt rolled off of the Inquisitor, assailing Jaina’s senses. And underneath it all, there was a level of fear she’d never felt from anyone before. She knew it was the dark side, and feeling it flow so strongly off of someone was terrifying.

Sensing her fear, the Inquisitor leapt at her, bringing her lightsaber down quicker than Jaina was expecting. She barely got her blade up in time to block the Inquisitor’s strike. She quickly recovered and went on the offensive, countering with a flurry of her own strikes. The Inquisitor countered again, stronger this time, pushing her back against the wall.

“Someone has trained you well,” she said through the hiss of the locked blades. “Who was it, hm?”

Jaina scowled at her and said nothing. She pushed against her blade, trying to push her off, but she was stronger than she had expected. Slowly, the Inquisitor began to force Jaina’s blade towards her face, and she tried not to panic. 

“No matter,” the Inquisitor said. “Once I’m finished with you, I will find them and kill them, too.” 

Jaina kicked her, hard, in the stomach, and sent a strong push through the Force, breaking their blades apart. The combination sent the Inquisitor stumbling back a few meters. She scowled at Jaina, and Jaina could feel a new level of anger flare in her. 

With a flick of her wrist, another blade ignited from the opposite end of her lightsaber. “For your sake, I’ll make this quick,” she said, immediately darting forward, swinging both blades in rapid succession. 

Jaina blocked both strikes then leapt backward down the hallway, creating some distance between them. She could still hear the battle raging outside and knew that it wouldn’t be long before Clan Wren would send their signal. The Inquisitor charged at her, and she went on the defensive. She looked for any opening she could to counter, but the Inquisitor was relentless, and it was all she could do to block the countless strikes from both blades. 

The Inquisitor quickly backed her up against what she thought was another wall, at the end of the corridor. It wasn’t a wall, however, and the door slid open, dumping her onto the floor of a room. She saw the Inquisitor’s killing blow before it happened, and quickly rolled out of the way. The Inquisitor growled in frustration as Jaina scrambled backward, away from her.

It didn’t take her long to realize she was now trapped. She was in some sort of storage room, and it appeared the only way out was blocked by the Inquisitor. An image from a dream she’d had ages ago flashed in her mind. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this. The Inquisitor seemed to realize the same thing and gave her a malevolent smile. She held her lightsaber out in front of her and it began spinning, so fast that the blades blended together and seemed as though they were one.

Jaina cursed under her breath. Ahsoka had conveniently forgotten to mention that part. She brought her lightsaber up as the Inquisitor slowly started forward. Jaina glanced behind her, noting with some dismay, that she didn’t have much space left. And, to make matters worse, the comm she was wearing on her wrist started beeping. She glanced at it and cursed again. She had to get out of there and fast.

Knowing it was now or never, she charged the Inquisitor. If she was going to die in here, she was at least going to go down fighting. She leapt, bringing her lightsaber down as hard and fast as she could, hoping it would catch one of the blades as they spun. It did, and the force of her jump pushed the Inquisitor back a few steps as well. 

They were now within a few meters of the door, and Jaina attacked again. She was hoping to push her back into the corridor, and then sprint for whatever window was closest. She knew she was rapidly running out of time, and her strikes became more furious, driving the Inquisitor back farther. She was almost there, with the Inquisitor finally taking a step back into the corridor, when the building shook again, more violently this time, rocking with the explosions that were taking place all over the compound.

Jaina had been expecting it, but the Inquisitor had not, so when they were both thrown off balance, Jaina was quicker to recover. She darted forward, ducking under the Inquisitor’s lightsaber, and driving her own up into the Inquisitor’s stomach. It sank in, all the way to the hilt, and Jaina held it there for a second, watching as the Inquisitor’s eyes went wide with the shocking realization that she'd lost.

The building rocked again, and this time the explosions were right under their feet. She quickly pulled her saber out and pushed the Inquisitor out of her way, sprinting as fast as she could down the corridor. If she could just make it to the window at the end, maybe she could clear the building before it came down. She might not make it out unscathed, but at least she wouldn’t be dead.

The window grew closer and she thought she might actually make it when another set of blasts tore through the floors under her. She reached into the Force for all the strength it could give her, urging her legs to go faster, but it was too late. The floor gave way beneath her and then she was falling. Debris from the collapsing building crashed into her as she fell, and she wondered how soon it would be before it was all be over.

Her fall was abruptly stopped when she landed on something, hard. Excruciating pain—worse than anything she’d ever felt—tore through her midsection, but she had no time to react to it, seeing a large piece of debris bearing down on her. 

She raised her arms and somehow managed to catch it with the Force, trying as best she could to push it away from her, but it was too heavy. Her strength gave out and it fell, right onto her leg. She screamed and reached through the Force again, trying to move it off, but the pain was unbearable. 

Debris was still falling around her when everything faded to black.


	20. Second Chance

It was the incessant beeping that slowly woke her, an annoying sound that cut through everything. “Emry…” she groaned, reaching for her, wondering why she hadn’t turned the damn alarm off yet. The movement caused fiery pain to erupt in her abdomen, and she let out an agonizing cry in response. Opening her eyes, she realized she wasn’t in bed but was lying amongst the debris of the collapsed Imperial building, somehow still alive.

Recollection of what had happened flooded her mind, and she tried to sit up, to see how bad the damage to her leg was. Pain tore through her abdomen again, forcing her back down. Gritting her teeth, she tried one more time. A strong wave of nausea washed over her when she saw what was causing so much pain, and she was suddenly dizzy. 

There, sticking straight up through the right side of her abdomen, was a piece of metal piping. She realized she must’ve landed directly on it as she fell, and wondered yet again, how she was still alive.

The pain became unbearable and she laid her head back down, her breaths coming out in short, ragged gasps as she tried not to panic. She knew it was bad, and the fact that she was starting to grow cold wasn’t helping to calm her either. She’d had enough first aid training at the ISB academy to know the signs of shock, and she tried not to think about what typically followed that.

Whatever was beeping continued to do so, and she belatedly realized it was her wrist comm. Dragging her arm onto her chest, she activated it.

“Yes,” she said weakly, “I’m here.”

“Jaina!” Ahsoka’s worried voice came through. “Where are you?” 

“I’m still—” She dissolved into a coughing fit. It felt like there was a layer of dirt coating her throat and lungs. “I’m still in the building.”

“You’re what?!” Jaina flinched at how panicked she sounded. She heard her take a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was calm. “Okay. Do you know where?”

“No. I was on the top floor when it collapsed—” she paused and thought for a moment “—northwest side maybe? I can’t—” she coughed again, and tasted blood. “I’m not sure.”

“Keep your comm on,” Ahsoka said. “We’ll use the signal to find you.”

“Okay,” she replied. “If it helps, I don’t think I’m that deep.” She paused again. It was taking all the strength she had just to talk. “I can see the sky, through a gap in the debris.”

“I’ll be right there. Are you injured?” Jaina hesitated, not wanting to worry her master any more than she already was, but she was growing colder by the minute and knew she was running out of time. 

“Yes…” She trailed off. “Ahsoka…please hurry.” She tried not to let any of the fear bleed into her voice, but it slipped in anyway. 

“We will,” Ahsoka said, and she could hear the panic beneath her determination. 

She kept her eyes on the gap in the debris, waiting, and passed the time by trying to see if there was any more damage to her body. Both her arms worked fine, and her left leg seemed okay, but she couldn’t feel her right one at all. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not but tried not to think the worst. 

It could have been a few minutes, or it could have been thirty, she had no idea, but Ahsoka’s head finally appeared in the gap, blotting out the light. Jaina raised her arm as best she could, hoping she could see her.

“Ahsoka—” she started to yell, but it sent another nauseating wave a pain through her, followed by a bout of coughing, which only increased the pain. She was starting to get lightheaded and it was becoming hard to keep her eyes open. 

Smaller pieces of debris came cascading down as Ahsoka made her way down through the gap towards her. She moved slow, not wanting to cause the debris to collapse even more, and kill them both. She’d been right about not being that deep, as it only took Ahsoka a few minutes to reach her. Ahsoka knelt beside her and quickly assessed her injuries. 

“Bo, I need you down here right now,” Ahsoka said into her wrist comm. “Bring a medpack. Have Ursa wait at the top but keep everyone else back. And have that ship ready to go.”

“Copy that. Be right there,” came the reply, and Ahsoka switched her comm off. 

“Ahsoka, I’m so sorry,” Jaina said. “I tried to get out, I swear, but she had me trapped—” Another coughing fit hit her, and she started to shiver.

“Shh,” Ahsoka said soothingly. “Don’t talk. We’re going to get you out of here, then you can tell me all about what happened.” 

More small debris came raining down as Bo-Katan made her way to them. Jaina didn’t miss the shock and revulsion that passed briefly over her face when she saw the injuries. She handed Ahsoka the medpack, then knelt beside Jaina and took her hand. Jaina could see the worry in her eyes.

“Did we win?” Jaina asked her weakly. 

“Yes,” Bo-Katan replied with a tight smile. “We did.” 

“Good. And my parents? Are they okay?” Bo-Katan nodded. She glanced over at Ahsoka as the sound of her moving the debris off Jaina’s leg filled the small space. 

“Emry is too,” she added before Jaina had a chance to ask. “Everyone is fine.”

“Everyone except me,” Jaina said, giving her a faint smile.

“You’re going to be fine,” she firmly replied, squeezing Jaina’s hand. “We’ll have you out of here and all fixed up in no time.”

Jaina appreciated her optimism but knew she was just trying to make her feel better. She couldn’t hide the panic and worry that was flowing off her. She gave her cousin another faint smile.

“I guess being a terrible liar runs in the family.” Bo-Katan gave her a chagrined look and glanced at Ahsoka again. Another coughing fit struck, and she nearly gagged on the blood it brought up. It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open, and she felt like she could sleep for weeks.

“No, no, don’t do that,” Bo-Katan said, shaking her slightly as her eyes closed. “Stay awake. Come on, Jaina, stay awake.” 

She heard the hiss of a lightsaber igniting, and she opened her eyes again. Ahsoka had one of hers out and was using it to cut the top half of the pipe off. “My lightsaber,” she said, panicked. “Where’s my lightsaber?” 

“It’s right here,” Bo-Katan said calmly, placing her lightsaber on top of her chest. Jaina clutched it tightly in her hands, determined not to let it go. She needed something to focus on, and her mind inanely settled on that. 

“Okay,” Ahsoka said. “Last thing, then we can get you out of here. But it’s going to hurt. A lot.” Jaina gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment, and Ahsoka turned her attention to Bo-Katan. “I need you to lift her up, high enough that I can get underneath her with the lightsaber to cut the pipe.”

Bo-Katan nodded and moved to Jaina’s other side, slipping her arms underneath her shoulders and waist. Jaina braced herself as Ahsoka counted down from three.

“A lot” turned out to be an understatement. It felt as though she was being ripped in half, and she screamed as Bo-Katan lifted her. The pain was intense, tearing through every cell of her body, and she immediately passed out. 

She was awoken by the terrible sensation of her insides being torn out of her, and she screamed again. She realized she was now laying on her side, and frantically reached around behind her, trying desperately to stop whatever it was that was causing it. 

“Hold her still,” Ahsoka growled, and someone grabbed her arm and pinned it to the ground. “It’s almost out.” She writhed and struggled against the hands trying to keep her immobile as the sensation and pain increased.

“Stop, please stop,” she cried out, pleading with them. “Make it stop!”

Her wish was granted a moment later when the sensation finally ceased, but the pain did not. She stopped writhing and laid still, struggling to breathe through the agony. Someone picked her up, and she felt herself being carried up what felt like the ramp of a ship. Her body gave in to the pain again, and she slipped back into unconsciousness.

A soothing sound woke her up, and when she opened her eyes, she realized it was coming from her mother. She was humming, a tune Jaina hadn’t heard since she was a child, and was gently stroking her forehead. It was something her mother had done when she was younger and had been woken up by nightmares or when she was sick. It had always helped calm her down then, and now, years later, it still worked. A peaceful sensation settled over her as she laid there, staring up at her mother. Her mother smiled at her, and she weakly smiled back.

Pulling her eyes away, she realized her father was sitting next to her, holding her hand in both of his. They were just as rough as she remembered, and he squeezed her hand as she looked at him. The worry was written all over his face, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile. 

Just then, she heard someone calling her name. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the source, but she only saw her parents and the interior of the ship. She heard it again, and it sounded much closer this time. It was the same voice that had come to her in her vision at the temple site, and again when she’d gotten her crystal. She couldn’t see him, but she could feel that he was close. 

She closed her eyes and reached into the Force, trying to find him. She had the sense that he wanted her to follow him, deeper into the Force. She could hear her mother and father calling her name, but she needed to know what he wanted. His presence began to fade, and she decided to follow it. Deeper and deeper into the Force she went, following him, the sound of her parents shouting fading into the background…

“…injuries are severe…made it through the night…not out of the woods yet…the leg, can it be saved…I can’t lose her…you’re strong…don’t give up…”

The voices floated in and out of her subconscious. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming, or dead, or some combination of the two. The fog that enveloped her mind eventually began to clear and she slowly regained consciousness. When she finally cracked her eyes open, she saw she was lying in what she assumed was the Mandalorian camp’s medical facility, surrounded by machines that were softly beeping out her vital signs. 

Looking down, she noticed a device attached to her midsection, right where the pipe had been. She looked further and saw that her right leg was completely encased in some sort of large apparatus, with wires and tubes coming out both sides. She sighed, happy that it appeared to at least still be there. Suddenly, she sensed someone next to her and looked over. 

Ahsoka was lying on a cot next to her bed, her eyes wide open. They stared at each other for a moment, then Jaina weakly reached for her. Ahsoka didn’t hesitate, quickly getting up and hugging her the best she could. Relief poured off her master, filling her senses. She was overcome with emotion, both hers and Ahsoka’s, and it took everything she had to fight back the tears.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. Ahsoka said nothing, and Jaina could sense she was struggling just as badly as she was with her emotions. The machines she was attached to started to beep faster, sounding their displeasure at the sudden movement, and Ahsoka released her. 

“How long was I out?” Jaina asked her.

“Almost a week now,” Ahsoka replied. Jaina felt her eyes widen and Ahsoka explained: “They had to sedate you, so your body could start healing. The first few days are critical, I guess. Any movement could’ve caused more damage.”

“Jaina?” Her father’s tentative voice came from the other side of her, and she turned her head. He was sitting up on a cot, hopefully looking at her. Her mother was still asleep, on the cot next to him. She smiled at him and held out her hand. He quickly shook her mother awake, and together they wrapped her in the biggest hug they could. The machines sounded in protest again, but she ignored them, along with the pain.

“I’ll go get the doc, and let the others know you’re awake,” Ahsoka said. She hurriedly left, allowing her to have a few moments alone with her parents. She didn’t waste any time, and the words she’d been wanting to say for so long came spilling out.

“I’m so sorry. For everything I ever said to you, for everything I did. I was stupid and foolish and should’ve just listened to you.” The tears she had been holding back rolled down her face as she spoke. “None of this would’ve happened if I had stayed here like you wanted me to.”

Her mother gave her a sympathetic, yet sad look. “It’s not your fault,” she said. “You couldn’t have known.”

“But you knew,” Jaina said. “You knew what might happen if I left. And you let me leave anyway.”

“Your mother and I made a choice,” her father said softly. “We chose to not tell you about what you are, knowing there would be consequences for that.” He sighed. “We knew we couldn’t stop you if you wanted to leave. And if we had tried, what would you have done?” 

Jaina looked away. He already knew the answer to that question, and so did she, but she said it anyway: “I still would’ve left. The fact that I knew you didn’t want me to go, made me want to do it more.” 

“Exactly,” her father said, sighing again. “But,” her mother cut in, casting a sideways look at her father, “that’s all in the past. You’re here now, safe and alive. And that’s all that matters.”

Jaina smiled and gingerly grabbed them both for another hug. The door slid open just as the machines began to protest again, and she opened her eyes to see Ahsoka walk in, followed by a familiar face she hadn’t seen in a year. 

“Doctor Larte!” It was the last person she’d been expecting to see. She’d been the one who’d treated her injuries back on Yavin, and she was more than a little surprised to see an Alliance doctor here on Mandalore. “What are you doing here?”

“Your injuries were too severe for the limited resources available here,” Ahsoka explained, “and we couldn’t exactly take you to the hospital—”

“So Ahsoka called me,” Doctor Larte interjected, shooting Ahsoka a small smile. She looked at Jaina and shook her head. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

Jaina smiled wryly. “Well, if the Empire would stop trying to kill me…”

“They very nearly succeeded this time,” she replied, crossing over to the machines next to Jaina’s bed and studying them for a moment. “How do you feel?”

Jaina thought for a moment. “Pretty sore. A little tired. Extremely grateful to be alive.”

“Hm, well, you have Ahsoka to thank for that apparently,” she absentmindedly said, her attention now focused on her datapad. Jaina cast a curious look at Ahsoka, and her master just shrugged. She made a mental note to ask her what she meant by that later. 

Doctor Larte finished with whatever it was on her datapad and looked up. “And now, if you all please, I’d like some time alone with the patient.”

Jaina’s parents gave her a distressed look, and she knew they didn’t want to leave her alone. She could see, now, that they looked like they hadn’t slept in days, probably since the battle. She gave them a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Go get some sleep. I’m safe now, remember? I promise I’ll be here when you wake up.”

They hesitated, and then her father finally gave her a small nod. “We’ll be back first thing in the morning.” They each kissed her on the forehead and her father took her mother’s hand and led her out. 

“That means you, too,” Doctor Larte said to Ahsoka, who was still lingering by Jaina’s bed. Ahsoka hesitated, and Doctor Larte laid a hand on her arm. “You should get some rest as well,” she gently said. “She’ll be fine, I promise.” 

Ahsoka looked at her and nodded, then started towards the door. A sudden thought crossed Jaina’s mind—

“Ahsoka!” she called, stopping her before she could leave. The panic was evident in her voice and Ahsoka turned around. “Where’s Emry?”

Jaina’s stomach knotted and her heart started racing when Ahsoka didn’t answer right away. She seemed to be trying to decide what to say, and the longer she waited to answer, the more Jaina was filled with dread. 

“She’s out,” Ahsoka finally said, “on a mission with your cousin, and Sabine.” 

Jaina blew out the breath she’d been holding, but her relief quickly turned to hurt, mixed with a little anger. Besides her parents and Ahsoka, hers was the first face Jaina had wanted to see, and now she wasn’t here? Deciding to go on some mission instead?

Ahsoka seemed to sense what she was thinking, and quickly explained. “It’s not dangerous, and it has nothing to do with the war. They just…needed something to keep them occupied, until you woke up. I contacted them already, and they’ll be back as soon as they’re done.”

She didn’t like it, but it made sense. She’d probably do the same thing if the situation had been reversed, and it had been Emry laying here and not her. She gave her master a slight nod, and Ahsoka turned and left. 

Doctor Larte spent the next hour with her, doing a full analysis now that she was awake. Everything seemed to be functioning normally, and she finally explained to Jaina what the devices were that were attached to her leg and abdomen. Both areas had extensive damage done to them, and Jaina couldn’t help but cringe as she went over it with her.

The pipe had torn through muscles and her intestines, nicking her kidney, and narrowly missing other major vital organs. The device was there to assist her body as it slowly repaired the damage and to ensure the continuation of normal bodily functions. Until her intestines were healed enough to function on their own, she’d have to wear it. 

As bad as that sounded, once she heard what happened to her leg, she was honestly surprised she still had it. It had been crushed by the debris she’d dropped on it, shattering the bones. The apparatus that now surrounded it was there to help her body regrow the bones and repair the excessive damage to it. It kept her leg suspended in bacta, to aid in the process. 

“Will I be able to walk again?” Jaina quietly asked as Doctor Larte was preparing to leave.

“Of course,” she said. “But you’ll need to be patient. It won’t be a quick process. And, I can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to go back to doing what you were doing before this.” Jaina looked away, defeated. That’s what she was afraid of. 

“This is going to be a long recovery for you, and it won’t be easy,” she continued. “But, if I recall, you’re pretty stubborn, just like your master.” Jaina looked up at her and saw she was smiling. “So, I know you’ll be okay.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Jaina said. Doctor Larte inclined her head and left the room, leaving her completely alone.

She laid her head back, listening to the faint beeping of the machines, not entirely enjoying the fact that she was now alone, with only her thoughts to keep her company. She wasn’t tired at all and had no idea when Emry was going to be back, so she decided to pass the time by meditating until she got there. That would at least keep her occupied and her mind calm for a while. 

She felt Emry long before she saw her. She could sense her as soon as their ship was near the base and tracked her presence as it made its way towards her. She watched the door, bracing for the onslaught of emotions she could already feel coming from her. The door slid open and Emry finally burst in. She skidded to a halt, and Jaina smiled at her as they locked eyes.

“Hey.” As soon as she spoke, Emry burst into tears and ran to her. Jaina hugged her as best she could, once again ignoring the machines when they started to protest. 

“It’s okay,” she said soothingly, trying to calm her down. “I’m okay.”

“I thought I lost you,” Emry said, gripping her tighter.

“You won’t be able to get rid of me that easily,” Jaina assured her.

After a long moment, she let go of Emry, the discomfort in her abdomen becoming intolerable. She winced as she laid back down and Emry looked at her, stricken. 

“I’m sorry!” she said, her eyes filled with fear. Jaina reached up and wiped the tears on Emry’s face away with her thumb. Emry leaned into her touch, but still looked terrified. “Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head and pulled Emry to her, kissing her. The same electric feeling she’d had the first time they’d kissed rippled through her again. She breathed deeply, inhaling all of Emry’s presence, allowing it to fill her senses. Anything outside of the two of them quickly faded into the background. 

“Well, it certainly looks like someone is feeling better,” came Sabine’s amused voice from behind Emry. “I can come back later, if you’d like.” 

Jaina groaned as Emry broke away and buried her face in her neck, laughing quietly. “You really know how to kill the mood, don’t you?” she told Sabine, half-joking, but also half-annoyed. 

Sabine grinned. “I do my best.” The grin quickly vanished as she crossed over to the bed. Emry moved out of the way and Sabine hugged her. “I’m glad you’re not dead.” 

“Me too,” Jaina replied. She laid back down and flashed Sabine an evil grin. “So…who’s the guy from Clan Eldar and when were you planning on telling me about him?” 

Sabine’s eyes went wide, and she shot a look at Emry, who laughed and raised her hands innocently in front of her. Just then, the door slid open, and Bo-Katan walked into the room. She smiled at Jaina. 

“I’m glad to see you’re finally awake,” she said. She raised an eyebrow as she quickly looked around the room. “Your parents and Ahsoka?” 

“Sleeping,” Jaina replied. “The doc made them go away.” 

Bo-Katan nodded. “Good. They needed it. They haven’t really slept since we got back from the outpost.” She eyed Jaina closely. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay,” Jaina replied. “Sore mostly. Annoyed that I’m stuck in this bed for the foreseeable future. But mainly, just happy to be alive.” She looked her cousin in the eye. “Thank you, for getting me out of there.”

Bo-Katan inclined her head. “You’re welcome. But you have Ahsoka to thank for being alive.” Jaina cocked her head in confusion.

“The doc said that, too. Why? Because she was able to find me so quickly and get me out?”

Sabine, Emry, and Bo-Katan all exchanged looks, which only added to her confusion. No one seemed to want to speak until Bo-Katan finally broke the silence.

“Jaina, you died on the way back here. Or, you came as close to it as anyone can.” 

Jaina stared at her, completely stunned. No, that couldn’t be right. She racked her brain, trying to remember what she could about that day. She remembered the fight with the Inquisitor. The explosions, the building collapsing. Waking up in pain, still inside the building. After that, everything seemed like a dream; she could only recall flashes of images, feelings. She closed her eyes, thinking harder.

An image came to her, of her mother. She had been looking at her, inside the ship. She remembered now. There was the voice, from her vision. It called to her and she had followed it, deep into the Force. After that, she couldn’t remember anything. There was nothing. She swallowed hard. If Bo-Katan was right…she shivered as a sudden chill crawled up her back. 

“What happened?” she asked, opening her eyes again. 

“I honestly have no idea,” Bo-Katan said, shaking her head. “Your father said one minute you seemed fine, then the next you were gone. Ahsoka ran over to you and—” she stopped and took a deep breath. “I don’t know what she did, but after a minute or two, you started breathing again. She hasn’t left your side since.”

Now it made sense why Ahsoka had seemed so reluctant to leave when Doctor Larte had told her to. She had no idea what to say, so she just sat there, staring at the bed. A whole mix of emotions was flooding through her and she had no idea how to deal with them. She finally looked up at her cousin.

“Thank you, for telling me.” Bo-Katan inclined her head once more and glanced at her wrist.

“We should let you get some rest. It’s late.” Jaina nodded and gave Sabine a quick hug, watching her and Bo-Katan as they left. She stared at the door after it closed, her mind still trying to process what her cousin had told her. She felt Emry stand up to go, and she turned her head back to her and grabbed her hand.

“Stay. Please.” Her eyes pleaded with Emry, and Emry gave her a conflicted look.

“Are you sure?” Jaina nodded. She really didn’t want to be alone right now. She patted the bed next to her, the side that wasn’t attached to machines, and Emry raised an eyebrow at her. “What if the doctor comes in? I doubt she’ll be happy.”

“Then you can blame it all on me, and say I forced you into bed with me,” Jaina replied, giving her a half-smile. “Please…I just want to be near you right now.” 

Emry finally relented and took her jacket off, laying it on the cot Ahsoka had been sleeping on and set her gun belt on top of it. After kicking her boots off, she came around and climbed into the bed, curling up next to Jaina. Jaina put her arm around her as Emry laid her head on her chest. They both sighed happily, and Jaina kissed the top of her head. 

“I love you,” she said softly. 

Emry lifted her head and looked at her, a familiar intensity in her eyes as she studied Jaina’s face. It was a look that never failed to make Jaina’s heart skip a beat every time she saw it.

“And I love you,” she replied, the intensity in her words matching her eyes.

Jaina smiled and kissed her. Emry settled her head back down onto Jaina’s chest, and soon after, she was sound asleep. Jaina laid awake, listening to the soft beeping of the machines, feeling the soothing calm of Emry’s presence. 

I died. The words played on a loop in her mind. I died and somehow Ahsoka brought me back. The terror she had felt earlier, when Bo-Katan had told her, was now gone, replaced, surprisingly, by guilt. What had she done to deserve a second chance? The things she’d done over the last several years…to her, they were unforgivable. And she had done them out of some misplaced loyalty to an organization who had never really cared about her. An organization she’d only joined just to spite her parents.

Granted, she was no longer part of the Empire and had since tried to make up for some of those actions, or so she thought. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she hadn’t done anything of the sort. Her focus over the last year had been singular, only on herself. 

Emry’s question came back to haunt her: What good were all the things Ahsoka had taught her if she wasn’t willing to use them? Ahsoka had said the Force wanted her to be trained, but she hadn’t known why, until now.

The Force had decided she deserved a second chance. Laying there, in the quiet of the room, she promised that she wasn’t going to waste it. And she would start right here, at home.


	21. Fresh Start

…Looking up, she saw a large piece of debris bearing down on her. She quickly raised her hands and tried to catch it with the Force, but she was too late, and it was too heavy…

Jaina startled awake, gasping for air, the cacophony of the machines the only sound filling the room. Sucking in deep breaths, she realized it had only been a dream, and she was still very much alive. Tidal waves of worry hit her senses, and she noticed Emry was propped up next to her, a terrified look on her face. 

The din of the machines began to fade as her heart rate and breathing slowed. She gazed at Emry, using her presence to help calm her down. Emry gazed right back, her eyes searching Jaina’s face for answers.

“Are you okay?” she worriedly asked. Jaina nodded. “Was it another vision?” Jaina shook her head.

“Just a dream,” she replied. An involuntary shiver hit her as the image of the falling debris flashed through her mind. “I was in the building—” She stopped, deciding it wasn't worth scaring Emry any further. “I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

“It’s okay,” Emry said. “I’m just glad it wasn’t anything more than a dream.” Jaina could feel the worry begin to drain from her, even though she was still watching her closely.

“Me too.” She gave Emry a small smile. “I promise I’m okay though.” Emry continued to eye her worriedly for another long moment, then seemed to accept that she was, indeed, okay. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, sighing.

Jaina frowned. “For what?” 

“After everything that’s happened, I’m a little—” she paused “—okay, more than a little on edge. I know you’re fine now and everything is going to be okay, but—” she stopped, and Jaina could feel the worry and terror bubbling back up in her again. 

“I’m terrified I’m going to lose you,” Emry finished in a small voice. 

Jaina reached up and gently cupped Emry’s face in her hand. “I can’t promise you that you won’t.” Emry’s eyes widened and she quickly continued: “Just like you can’t promise me that I won’t lose you. What I can promise, is that I will do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen. I will always fight for you. For us.” 

Emry was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I can accept that. And I will promise you the same thing.” Jaina smiled happily at her.

“I love you.” The intense emotion behind Emry’s words made Jaina’s stomach do a backflip. Emry leaned up and kissed her, a long and deep kiss that sent her heart into overdrive. Everything else melted away as she fell into Emry’s presence. She never would’ve realized the door had opened if Emry had not broken off the kiss and turned around. 

She opened her eyes to see her mother and father standing just inside the door. The look on her mother’s face was a mixture of surprise and amusement, while her father’s was turning a nice shade of red. Her mother recovered first and made her way over to the bed. Jaina caught a whiff of something that smelled amazing, coming from the covered trays she was carrying.

“If I would’ve known you’d be here, Emry,” her mother said, “I would’ve brought some for you.” 

Emry smiled at her. “It’s okay. Thank you though.” She turned back to Jaina, who couldn’t hide her surprise at the exchange. She chuckled. “We really need to work on your ability to sense anyone else besides me.” 

Jaina, for once, couldn’t think of anything to say and just blankly stared at her. Emry chuckled again. “I’ll be back later.” She gave Jaina a quick kiss, climbed out of the bed, and went to grab her things from Ahsoka’s cot. Jaina watched her as she quickly put her boots on, grabbed her jacket and gun belt, and headed for the door, nodding goodbye to both her parents as she left.

Her father had finally joined her mother by the bed, and once Emry was gone, Jaina fixed them both with an astonished look. “How did you…?”

“We spent the last week in here with you,” her mother said chuckling. “If Emry wasn’t out on a mission with Bo, she was in here. It wasn’t hard to figure out why.” She started uncovering the trays as she talked and handed one to her father. 

Jaina eyed the trays, starving and nervous at the same time. Doctor Larte had warned her to take it slow when she began eating real food again. Her body needed to get used to it, plus the machine that was attached to her midsection could only handle so much at once.

“Why?” she asked, as her mother handed her a tray. Her mother raised an eyebrow in question. “Why wasn’t it hard to figure out?”

Her mother glanced at her father, who gave her a small smile. “Because she looks at you the same way your mother looked at me when we first got together.” Her mother smiled warmly at him. “The same way she still does…at least sometimes.” He grinned playfully, and her mother rolled her eyes. 

It was silent for a moment as they began eating. “She loves you, you know,” her mother said quietly. 

“I know,” Jaina replied evenly. She wasn’t sure if this was a conversation she wanted to have with them right now, but it didn’t appear that she had a choice. 

“And you love her?” her father asked. There was something in his voice that gave her pause, and she couldn’t quite tell what it was. She swallowed an urge to immediately go on the defensive, not wanting to start an argument.

“Yes,” she said, at little more defensively than she would’ve liked. “Very much so.” 

He studied her for a moment then smiled. “Good.” He went back to eating and Jaina watched him, shaking her head. “You’d better not screw it up,” he said in between bites. “I like her…even if she isn’t Mandalorian.” 

Jaina and her mother groaned at the same time, and her mother gave him an annoyed look. “Don’t start,” she said. He looked at her innocently, then shrugged. 

Jaina had no idea what to think or feel. The people in front of her were definitely her parents, but they were not the same people she’d left all those years ago. They seemed happier, lighter—like a great weight had been lifted off of them. The constant tension she’d felt from them growing up was no longer there. She smiled at them both, feeling the last of the emotional weight she’d been holding onto fade away.

“So, how did you meet?” her mother asked. Jaina took another small bite and thought for a moment about where she should even start. 

“That,” she replied, “is an interesting story.” She smirked, remembering that night on Akiva. “And it may or may not involve her pointing a blaster at my head.” Her parents exchanged a surprised look, and Jaina took a deep breath, then dove right in. 

Over the next few hours, she told them everything. All of it—good and bad—from the time she’d left Mandalore until now. They listened quietly, asked questions occasionally, but mostly just listened without any judgment. And for that, she was beyond grateful. She’d been terrified to tell them who she used to be, what she’d done in service to the Empire, afraid that they’d be disgusted with her, as she was with herself.

“You’re not that person anymore,” Ahsoka reminded her after she had apologized once again for who she’d become after she left. Her master had eventually joined them, bringing along Doctor Larte for another assessment. Doctor Larte had left after the assessment was over, but Ahsoka stayed, sitting quietly while Jaina continued to talk to her parents. It helped, having Ahsoka there, and gave her the strength she needed to get through it.

“I know,” Jaina replied. “Thanks to you.” She smiled at her master, who smiled back.

“To say we are grateful for what you’ve done for our daughter would be an understatement,” her father said, looking sincerely at Ahsoka. “I don’t know how we could ever repay you for taking her in and keeping her safe.”

“It was my pleasure,” Ahsoka said, inclining her head slightly. A thoughtful look crossed her face. “I’ve only come across a few like her since the end of the Clone Wars. They were all very young, and completely unaware of their connection to the Force. Their parents, however, knew. I’m curious, how young was she when you first noticed? And how did you know? What were the signs?”

Jaina looked at her parents, also curious to know. She felt like there was more to it than Bo-Katan had told her. Her mother and father exchanged looks, and it was her mother who spoke first.

“She was probably about two or three. It started with the drawings. Just like any child, she liked to draw, but when we’d ask her what the drawings were of, she would describe things, people, places she’d never seen and would’ve had no idea about. We quickly realized what she was drawing were images from our own memories, our own thoughts.”

Jaina felt her eyes widen as her father chimed in: “She also seemed to be acutely aware of what anyone was feeling, all the time.” He glanced at his daughter and gave her a small smile. “We couldn’t hide anything from her. She’d always know if we were mad, happy, upset.” He chuckled. “It was quite annoying.” 

Ahsoka nodded, a pensive look on her face. “The Force will usually start making itself known around that age, with one or two abilities becoming obvious. Did she do anything else?”

Her mother cocked her head, thinking. “Those are the two things I remember the most…oh, wait!” She snapped her fingers. “The toys!” She looked at her husband. “Remember the toys?” He nodded. 

“We always knew,” he said, “but we didn’t really want to believe it until we saw, with our own eyes, the proof.” He sighed. “When she started picking up her toys without actually touching them, we couldn’t deny it any longer.” 

“And that’s when you took me and left,” Jaina said quietly. They both slowly turned and stared at her. “Bo told me.”

“Yes,” her mother said sadly. “That’s when we took you and left. We couldn’t trust anyone. There was so much infighting among the clans, and we couldn’t risk someone turning you over to Saxon and the Empire.” She glanced over at Ahsoka. “We’d heard what they did to the Jedi…we had no choice. We had to keep you safe.” 

Jaina nodded. “I know. I’m not mad, not anymore at least. I understand, now, why you did what you did. And I’m sorry, for doing the one thing you’d tried so hard to keep from happening.”

Her mother got up and hugged her. “Remember what I said yesterday. It’s all in the past now. You’re here…safe and alive.” She kissed her on the forehead and sat back down. “So, is it true? Are you a Jedi now?”

Jaina frowned. “Who told you that?” 

“Rumors fly around this place pretty quick,” her father said chuckling. “And Bo showed us some footage she took of the two of you,” he said, nodding towards Ahsoka. 

So that’s why she had come out to watch them train. Jaina shook her head. “No, not a Jedi.” She looked to Ahsoka for help, but she seemed content to let her try and explain this on her own. Her parents both frowned in confusion, and she sighed in defeat. “It’s too hard to explain. I’m just…me.” 

“Well, you certainly looked like a Jedi from what we saw,” her father said, and she thought she saw a hint of pride flash across his face. She smiled at him. “So, can we see it?” Her smile quickly vanished, turning to confusion, and he laughed. “Your lightsaber.”

She frowned and quickly looked around the room. She hadn’t even thought to look for it when she’d woken up, and now she had no idea where it was. She couldn’t remember if she’d had it with her when she was brought out of the building or not. Panic started to rise in her chest as Ahsoka’s stern warning about losing it echoed in her mind. She worriedly looked at her master, not wanting to admit she’d lost it. 

Ahsoka had a smirk on her face, clearly feeling her panic, and she slowly pulled her arm out from behind her. Jaina breathed a massive sigh of relief when she saw her lightsaber lying in Ahsoka’s palm. She stretched her hand out and floated it out of Ahsoka’s hand and across the bed to her parents. There was no mistaking the pride on their faces as she gently set it down in front of her father.

He took it and her mother moved closer to him so they could look at it together. They turned it over in their hands, smiling as they traced the etching of their clan symbol. Her father looked up at her in surprise. “This is beskar.”

Jaina nodded, smiling. “That was all Sabine. She had it made for me.” She watched as they ran their hands over the metal, reveling in the pride and happiness she could feel emanating from them. Their reaction was better than she could have ever hoped for. She glanced over at Ahsoka, who smiled at her.

“Bo told me when I was young, you wanted me to grow up and become a warrior, just like you,” she told them. “I know this isn’t exactly what you had hoped for, but…”

Her mother looked up at her, and she could see the tears in her eyes. “It’s more than we could have hoped for. It’s perfect because it’s you.”

Jaina blinked back tears as her mother and father both got up and hugged her. “I love you,” she said, squeezing them as tightly as she could.

“We love you too,” her mother said. “We’re so happy you’re finally home.” The machines began to protest, as did her abdomen, and her parents quickly released her.

“Well that’s good,” Jaina said, lying back down and motioning to the machines, “because you’re stuck with me now.

The door slid open and Emry walked in, with Sabine and Bo-Katan trailing behind her. Sabine had a bottle of something in one hand and a stack of cups in her other. She grinned at Jaina as they all walked up to her bed. 

“I believe a small celebration is in order,” Bo-Katan said, as Sabine opened the bottle and began pouring everyone a drink. “One of our own has been returned to us and has proven that she is a true Mandalorian.”

Jaina felt her face redden and lowered her eyes. She didn’t think she deserved or warranted any sort of celebration. She felt her mother lay a hand on her arm and looked up at her. 

“It doesn’t matter what you did in the past,” she said gently. “You were willing to sacrifice yourself to ensure our safety. To protect us. All of us. We may not have raised you to be a warrior, but you proved yourself as one the other day.”

Jaina smiled faintly and gave her a small nod, accepting the cup Sabine was trying to hand her. She sniffed it, unsure of what it was Sabine was about to make them drink and wrinkled her nose. 

“Water? Really?” She gave Sabine a cross look, and Sabine laughed and shrugged.

“Doctor’s orders,” she said. “No alcohol until further notice.” Jaina rolled her eyes. She was going to have to speak with Doctor Larte about that little rule.

Bo-Katan raised her cup and everyone else followed suit. “To Jaina. May she continue to walk the path of the warrior—” she paused and inclined her head at Ahsoka “—and the Jedi.” 

Jaina glanced at Ahsoka, who inclined her head in return and then looked to Jaina’s parents. “To allies,” she said, smiling. “Old and new.” 

“To family,” her father said, looking around the room. “May those bonds never be broken.” 

Everyone’s eyes settled on Jaina and she swallowed nervously. She’d never done this before and had no idea what to say. Her mother nodded encouragingly, and she finally settled on something she thought was appropriate.

“To Mandalore. May it continue to survive and thrive long after we, and the Empire, are gone.” 

“To Mandalore” came the echoing replies from everyone as they raised their cups and drank. Sabine handed off the bottle and everyone dissolved into their own conversations. Emry came over and sat down next to her on the bed. Jaina smiled at her and took her hand, intertwining their fingers together.

“Well said,” Emry said, kissing Jaina’s hand. 

“Thanks,” Jaina replied. “So…what now?” Emry gave her a perplexed look. “The mission is over. My parents are back, safe, and sound. When are you planning on heading back to the Alliance?”

Emry looked away and Jaina braced herself for the answer. After a long moment, Emry looked back up at her. “I’m not.” Jaina gawked at her, stunned. 

“I wasn’t trying to make you feel guilty,” she said quickly, completely dumbfounded by Emry’s response. “I know how much the Rebellion means to you; I would never ask you to leave it. Don’t feel obligated to stay just because of me—” 

Emry raised her hand cutting Jaina off. “I know you weren’t trying to guilt me into staying, and I don’t feel obligated to. I want to stay. I can fight the Empire here, just as much as I can anywhere else.” She looked around the room, smiling at everyone engrossed in their conversations. “I have everything I need, right here.” 

Jaina looked around the room as well. Ahsoka was deep in conversation with Bo-Katan, and Sabine had Jaina’s lightsaber in her hands, pointing to her artwork on it, undoubtedly explaining the nuances of each brushstroke to her parents. She smiled to herself, realizing Emry was right.

“So do I,” she said, squeezing Emry’s hand. “So do I.” 

***********************************************************************************************************************

The door slid open and Jaina felt her mother’s presence enter the room, pulling her from her meditation.

“They’re here.” 

She nodded and opened her eyes, looking up at her mother. “Is she leaving right now?” 

“I think so,” her mother said. “She said there was some pressing matter that needed her attention.” 

Jaina nodded again and glanced over at the crutches that were leaning against the bed. She stretched her hand out and pulled them to her. She slowly got to her feet, her mother hovering over her in case she needed any assistance. 

“I still don’t understand why you can’t just meditate on a chair or the bed,” her mother said, trying and failing to hide her exasperation. 

“I like the ground better,” Jaina replied, finally getting the crutches under her arms. She knew her mother thought she was just being difficult, but she couldn’t help it. Meditating on the ground would always be what she’d prefer. Busted leg or not.

They slowly made their way out of Jaina’s quarters and towards the landing pads. Jaina had only graduated to the crutches a few weeks ago, after spending more than a month confined to the bed in the medical facility. Doctor Larte had left not long after she’d woken up, her presence sorely needed in the Rebellion. She’d left Jaina with strict instructions and a promise that she’d be back. 

She had indeed returned, a few weeks ago, and deemed Jaina’s leg healed enough to take out of the contraption it was in. In its place was a thin cast of sorts, with metal pins that were strategically drilled into the bones, to keep them from moving around too much as they continued to heal. It was ugly, and she still couldn’t move or use the leg at all, but she was finally allowed out of the bed, so long as she used the crutches. 

Eager to heal as quickly as she could, Jaina swore that she’d do whatever Doctor Larte asked her to, and so far, she’d kept that promise. Doctor Larte told her she’d be back at least once a month, to check on her progress, until she fully healed. Jaina knew she didn’t have to continue to check on her, considering how busy she was with the Rebellion, but she was grateful for it. 

Her father joined them as they passed by the command center. “Bo’s not coming?” her mother asked him. He shook his head. 

“She’s still tied up in that meeting,” he replied. “She told me to tell her she’s sorry, and that she sends her regards. And that she’ll be in touch.” 

Her mother nodded, and they continued in silence, both of them matching Jaina’s slow pace. They rounded the corner outside the walls of the base, and Jaina could now see everyone standing at the bottom of the ramp to General Syndulla’s ship. Emry smiled at her as she approached, and Ahsoka broke off her conversation with the general as Jaina made her way up to them. 

“Did you get the data packet I sent you?” Ahsoka asked her. 

“I did,” Jaina replied. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find anything, but I’ll take a look at it and let you know.”

“Don’t forget to use the encryption code I gave you,” Ahsoka said. “It’ll go straight to me and no one else.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Jaina said. She saw her father beckon Ahsoka over, and Ahsoka quickly excused herself. Jaina turned to face General Syndulla. 

“Thank you, again, for allowing Emry to stay,” Jaina told her, respectfully inclining her head. 

“We’re not the Empire,” Syndulla replied with a chuckle. “Anyone can come and go as they please.” She smiled at them both and then gave Jaina a serious look. “Just know, should the day come that you decide to join us, the Rebellion will be more than happy to have you.” 

“Thank you,” Jaina replied. “That means a lot.” She glanced over at her parents, catching her mother’s eye for a second before looking back at the general. “But right now, my place is here.” 

General Syndulla inclined her head and Jaina did the same. Ahsoka finished speaking with her parents and walked back up to them. “Ready to go?” she asked the general, who nodded. Emry gave General Syndulla a quick hug, and the general headed up the ramp and into her ship. Ahsoka turned to Jaina, and a sudden sadness struck her as she looked into her master’s eyes.

“I’ll be back in a few weeks with Doctor Larte, so long as I can take care of this issue before then,” Ahsoka said, sensing Jaina’s sadness and the reason behind it. “You remember the exercises I gave you?”

Jaina nodded. “I’ve already started practicing them.”

“Good.” She turned to Emry. “Make sure she keeps practicing.” Emry grinned and nodded. Ahsoka gave her apprentice a pointed look. “I’ll be checking on your progress with them when I return.”

Jaina smirked at her. “Yes, Master.” The ship fired up behind them, and it was time for Ahsoka to go. “Thank you,” she said, bowing her head to Ahsoka.

“You’re welcome,” Ahsoka replied, inclining her head in return. “I’ll see you in a few weeks.” 

Jaina smiled and watched her walk up the ramp into the ship. Emry stood with her as they watched the ship rise into the air, then grow smaller as it headed towards the upper atmosphere. Once it was out of sight, they turned around and walked over to her mother and father who were waiting for them.

“Welcome back,” her father said warmly to Emry, and they all began walking back towards the base.

“Thank you,” she replied. “It’s good to be back.”

“How’s your Mando’a coming?” he asked. “Have you been practicing…” His voice trailed off as the two of them walked out of Jaina’s earshot, forgetting that she was moving considerably slower than them. She heard her mother chuckle beside her.

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” she told her daughter. “Make sure he doesn’t become too overbearing.”

Jaina gave her mother a grateful look. “Thank you. I’d hate for Emry to immediately regret her decision to stay.” 

“I don’t think she will,” her mother said. She put her arm around Jaina’s shoulders and gave her a small squeeze. 

“Hurry up you two!” her father called. “The briefing is in ten minutes, and you know how your cousin gets when anyone is late.” 

“In this case, I don’t think she’ll mind,” her mother called back. She looked at Jaina and smiled. “But he is right. Bo hates when anyone is late.” 

Jaina smiled back at her. “Well then, let’s not keep her waiting.” She quickened her pace as best she could. It was time to find out what the Empire’s next move on Mandalore was going to be.


End file.
